Tales of another Bennett
by MysteriouslyFalling
Summary: Ariah isn't your typical Bennett-witch. She has the gift of Clairsentience; meaning she can read a person via touch. Furthermore she arrives in Mystic Falls, searching for her father's grimoire and decides to move back, not knowing what lurks in the town. But what will her reaction be when she learns what's really going on? And what role will the prospect of having a cousin play?
1. Chapter 1

Hey you guys!

This is my first story ever, so please feel free to share your contructive criticism with me :) Also I have yet to decide on the romantic angle of this arc, but I'd like to hear your suggestions! I'm kind of trying to build up a slow start, and sort of unravel my O.C, in a way that won't give all of her facettes away too quick. On another note, this story will be taking place as this season is on going; so Ariah will be showing up around the same time as they've agreed to give Mystic Falls to the Heretics (reluctantly might I add) ANYWAYS! Hope you enjoy the first chapter. Any feedback is welcomed feedback.

 **Full summary**

Ariah isn't your typical Bennett-witch. She rarely touches magic, and mostly doesn't play well with others. For the past 6 years she's been searching for her father's grimoire. Using his journal as a guide, to go through all the places where he could have placed it. She already has her mothers' but has no use for it. As her mother was a dark practitioner, drawing her strengths from sacrificial shadow rituals, and Ariah wants no part in that tainted legacy. Instead she wants to reconnect with the elements and the ancestors; like her father did. But she can only claim that side of herself, and her powers through her father's grim.

Ariah was raised in Samoa, around her father's family. Her birth however, happened in Mystic Falls. The one place she hasn't looked. She isn't sure what is in store for her there, as she has no recollection of the town. With no knowledge of why Mystic Falls is in a ghostlike state, Ariah decides to move into her childhood home, not aware of the looming threat and the pending revelations. What will her reaction be when she learns what's really going on? And what role will the prospect of having a cousin play?

 **Chapter 1: Arrivals and encounters**

My hand was on the doorknob. I felt a slight tremble and it was obvious my anxiety level was hitting a new high. I started questioning my reasoning for being here. What in the world was I looking to find? The answer escaped me. This was starting to look a lot like another one of my impulsive ideas. Nonetheless, I still hadn't moved.

I could be across the country by now, sippin' drinks of acquired tastes. But no, instead I decided to go to Mystic Falls, on some phantom hunch, and so here I was. Contemplating whether or not to even open the damn door. Though in all honesty, my reason for being here, on this lovely porch; wasn't solely based on a hunch. It was something more intense. Primal almost. I felt drawn to this place, and the feeling had only intensified after… After everything. Was it really wrong of me to be here? I mean all the journals my father ever wrote, had their origins here. This was his world, his beginning and his legacy to me.

I took a careful look at the bordeaux notebook in my left hand. It felt odd being able to tangibly grasp at my own words. Every thought etched and inked to the pages of this book. I'd never really kept a journal until I came across my fathers. I guess it kind of stuck with me, having a piece of him around and being able to pick his brain. It helped. In more ways than words could express, it just helped. After his passing, he wanted me to have them, alongside the deed to this house.

So why was it so hard for me to open the stupid door? Technically the house was mine, right? My last name was written with big fat letters – so I wasn't exactly trespassing or anything. Yet I felt some type of reluctance, as if I would be greeted by my father's ghost. Or maybe it was something else. Like the town. The town had a weird vibe, it had abandonment written all over it. That didn't really bother me, seclusion was exactly what I needed now. The signs and banners had explained that there was some kind of gas leak, and because of that the air was toxic. Which clearly was a scheme to get the people out of town. I wasn't sure why, but I was thankful there was a neighboring town only 20 minutes away; so grocery shopping wasn't going to be a too far off trip.

 _*Click*_

I turned the key, and finally opened the door. I needed this place, I didn't like to admit it, but I really did. More than anything I just needed to recuperate and breathe. My eyes wandered around the spacious inside décor. So this was where I was born, huh? It had a comfy feel to it. I closed the door behind me, and dragged my duffle bag into the living-room. The house had an almond scent, mildly mixed with vanilla and lavender. It was surprising how well kept everything looked. Especially given the fact that we'd moved out the minute I was born. I walked around for a bit, looking through the rooms, there was a total of 3 bedrooms, two bathrooms, an attic, a backyard, and everything looked tidy.

It was slightly unnerving, although there weren't any signs of someone living in the house. The kitchen was empty, no food in the fridge, and the living room didn't have any personalized objects. The only thing that made me feel connected to this house, was the scent. It was overwhelming. The memories it held and the underlining love it carried. This was home. I actually found the thought of no one else being around, soothing. Sad, I know.

I placed my journal on the living-room table and sat on the sofa. Reality was slowly setting in, and the adrenalin was wearing off.

" _Take a deep breath, Ariah. It's done and you're fine._ "

My reflection stared back at me from the black TV-screen. I ran a calm hand through the wild landscape of my curls. No matter what I did to it, it always looked messy. Untamed, was the only word that came to mind. The spitting image of my mother, I'd been told.

My stomach started turning. The only resemblance I had to her, was that of my appearance. Everything else was different, and I thanked god for that. She was nothing I ever wanted to be like.

My eyes quickly turned back to the duffle bag at my feet. I had to take some safety measures before I could really settle into the house. My hand reached into one of the smaller pockets of the bag. I wasn't going to let a familiar scent snare me into believing this was home, yet. Although the prospect of being burglarized in a ghost town, didn't seem too likely. Other threats did exist, and I wasn't about to be caught off-guard.

I felt my hand grip the very thing I was fumbling for. A solid book came to sight, it almost resembled a relic. My hand slid across the leather surface, following the engraved letters on the front **T**.

Family grimoires often had the essence of being older than time itself. It probably had to do with the fact that they were passed on, from generation to generation. Spells and chants being added on as the years passed. Although I didn't practice magic, or more specifically didn't want to, I knew now was a time to break that rule. It wasn't that I wasn't capable of conjuring magic, both of my parents had been practicing; so I was more than capable.

I just have a hard time tapping into a clean source of energy, as a witch's powers often gets linked to the grimoire she's utilizing. And as I've been given my mothers', it's safe to say the source is fare from clean. Therefore, I've only ever dabbled in minor spells, everything else has a price. A price much larger than what I'm willing to pay.

That's not to say I wouldn't want to practice proper magic again. I would love to, if I was in the possession of my father's grimoire. His source was bound by the elements, the safest anchor and the purest.

I dusted the cover before opening the book, I knew there was a section about protection spells somewhere. I quickly flipped through the book and found the section, I had to fully open my bag to get the ingredients out. The spell I was using was one of the earliest my mother had learned, therefore it was pretty easy and earthbound. I only needed a couple of herbs, and a drop of my blood. The drop of blood was meant as a binder, so no one else could enter the house. Unless they were related to me. I quickly mixed the ingredients and walked outside, placing a small amount of the herbal mixture on each corner of the house. I then proceeded to cover the mixture with dirt, before stepping back, closing my eyes and exhaling:

" _Phasmatos tribum fiat lux hic et nunc igne natura renovatur integra._ "

The wind became stronger, and it felt as if nature was giving me the green light to finish.

" _Incendia!_ "

I took a step back and saw the four corners, where I'd buried the spell, light up in bright flames. The flames simmered down into smaller white sparks, before they completely disappeared.

I couldn't help but smile. Even though it was a small protection spell, I still felt like an accomplishment. I gave my hand a kiss and put it to the earth. If there ever was a lesson my father prided himself on teaching me, it was to treat the earth with respect and gratitude. And right now I was very grateful, that the earth had allowed me access, to tap into its energy.

I looked at the sky, and noticed the sun was setting. My stomach started growling, and it dawned on me that I probably hadn't eaten since the plane; 7 hours ago. I walked inside and dragged my bag with me. I quickly made myself at home in the biggest bedroom, before showering and getting changed. Propping up my phone, I googled the eating venues in the neighboring town. As I was skipping down the stairs, a series of loud knocks were heard at the door. Forcing me to reenter reality and welcome back the uneasy feeling of my nerves.

The reality was, I was more curious than scared. The spell had worked. The pleasantries I exchanged with Mother Earth, made sure of that. So if this was an intruder of the supernatural kind, he would be powerless in the vicinity of my home. On the other hand, if it just so happened to be a human serial killer or murderer, I was pretty screwed..

I quickly peaked at the door, and saw what looked to be a Sheriff. I couldn't be all too sure, as he stood with his back facing me. But the back nonetheless looked like that of an authority. So I just opened the door, hoping to god he wasn't some sick psycho playing dress-up to lure potential victims.

" _Can I help you?_ "

My voice wasn't particularly rude, but it often carried a questioning tone. The man quickly turned around, and to say I was baffled would be an understatement. The guy look my age! Suited and booted in a Deputy's uniform. Which was quit and accomplishment if he indeed was around my age. He seemed just as startled as I was, not that I understood why. Maybe it was because the town was evacuated? That would make sense.

" _You're breaking federal law by trespassing a closed off area. I'm going to have to ask you to come with me, so I can escort you away from this area, as it is restricted_."

He did his best to seem authoritative, but because of my upbringing I knew how to read people. And it was clear he was doing everything in his power not to lose his cool. It was weird, if I didn't know better, the strongest emotion I could read off of him was fear. Not for himself, but for me. And that made no sense at all. His eyes almost begged me to quickly come with. I had a hard time understanding how he could be fearful on my behalf, when he barely knew me. Maybe it was link to his job, if he indeed was a deputy.

" _Unless you show me factual evidence of this so called 'deadly gas leak', I'm staying put. The air isn't contaminated with any toxic waste, so I suggest you don't lie about that, as I've studied toxicology_."

I crossed my arms, and gave a small smile. He seemed nice, but something was way off. He seemed to pause, slightly gritting his teeth. It was clear he hadn't seen the toxicology comment coming, and quite frankly neither had I. I'd never studied it, so that was a blatant lie, but he didn't know that, so what was the harm? Besides my comment about the air not being toxic was spot on, so the other part didn't really matter. I awaited his response eagerly, as I didn't intend on leaving. A sigh escaped his lips, before he somewhat regained strength and spoke.

" _Listen this area is highly dangerous, and as Chief Deputy of Mystic Falls, I have the authority to take you into custody, as you are trespassing. This house doesn't belong to you, and therefore you have no right to reside in it_."

My eyes narrowed, and I did my best not to go ballistic on him then and there. It was evident he was grasping for straws, he had no other choice really. But what angered me was the way he ended his speech. I tried not to get too offended, as it was obvious his choice of words was derived from his fear. Did I truly look like some damsel in distress? Or at least and Island version of that? I took a deep breath and locked eyes with him. My light brown meeting his icy blue.

" _How do you know this house doesn't belong to me?_ "

I smiled wide enough for my pearly white teeth to be shown. I was getting ready to drop some knowledge, when he answered.

" _Let's just say I know the family_ "

He seemed to smirk, like he'd caught me in the most embarrassing lie ever. I couldn't quite figure out what he was getting at? How could he possibly know of my family, if we'd left twenty-something years ago? Unless of course, another branch of the family stayed behind. Either way I wasn't about to give him the satisfaction of noticing my confusion.

" _Oh, so you knew the exact family that lived in this specific house, did you?_ "

He was about to answer, when something dawned on him. He scratched his head and look at the street name.

" _Actually, the Bennett family I know live on the opposite end of town.. Or at least they used to._ "

So some _had_ stayed behind. I processed the thought of actually having family close by, and I wasn't sure how to feel about it. Deep down I knew, it wasn't right to let my mother be the family representative for her side. But it was hard not to. Still, family was the key to many things. Unconditional love, comfort and strength, at least if done right. If given by broken people whom never experience unconditional love themselves, the story could be spun differently.

"Well then, you've probably come to realize how faulty your earlier statement was. This house is indeed my house, I have the deed and the last name to prove it. If you'd like, you can come in and see the deed for yourself. Maybe you'd like to explain why you're so adamant on getting me out of Mystic Falls while you're at it?"

He seemed to go blank, mouth open and eyes staring straight at me. I took this as a sign of victory, and stepped away from the door, with a minor smile, so he could enter. It took him a couple of seconds to register the gesture, but he slowly got inside. He didn't speak until he stood midway in the hallway. I quickly turned around, when I heard his steps stop. I was already one foot inside the living room, ready to get the deed.

" _So, you're related to Bonnie, aren't you?_ "

I looked at him, trying to remember the name. It didn't ring a bell, so I just shrugged.

" _If her last name is Bennett, yeah, we might be related._ "

The answer didn't suffice him, so he quickly caught up with me, right as I was about to hand him the paper.

" _If you're related to her, then what in the world are you doing here? Are you on some kind of suicide mission!?_ "

His grasp around my wrist tightened, and I was in complete shock. His eyes seemed frantic, resembling that of a deer, right before it gets hit by a car. His fear was almost intoxicating, until it dawned on me. He was physically grabbing me, he might not have noticed it, but I did. I quickly got free and leaned over, only a few inches separating our faces. The anger within me had hit a peak, and when I finally spoke, I spoke through gritted teeth. No one had laid hands on me like that for a long time.

" _Grab me again, and so help me god, I'll make sure you end up in the nearest psych ward. Here's the deed, look it through, and get the hell out of my house_."

I spoke calmly although I felt a fire consume me from the inside out. I didn't respond well to physicality's, especially from people who know nothing about me. Still, his question nagged me. What the hell was he talking about, suicide mission? This was starting to get too suspicious. I had my hand stretched out towards him, so he could take it and look at it. But instead he kept looking at me, with a look that had apology written all over it. As I thought, he'd reacted out of impulse, and it was clear he felt apologetic about it.

" _I'm sorry, it's just.. No one's supposed to be in Mystic Falls, it's really not in your best interest to stay. And I do believe you're the owner of this house, but you should really come with me, miss? I'm sorry what's your name?_ "

He'd finally realized that he only knew my last name. But I still had no understanding of his fear. I felt like blurting out that the house had a protective force field around it, and that nothing supernatural could come in. But I didn't. Instead I just looked at him, for what seemed the longest time. I don't know why, but there was something about the whole atmosphere that just changed. And that's when I felt it. Someone was outside, the spell I'd done had connected me to the earth around and in my house; and right now, I felt something unwanted outside my premise.

" _My name is Ariah, did you bring someone with you?_ "

I shook his hand, looking straight at my closed front door. Whoever was outside, was coming closer and closer. The deputy clearly was unnerved by my sudden question, and shook his head. And that's when it hit me, this guy knew more than he was letting on.

He knew.

" _I'm Matt Donavan, and we need to get to my car, right now_."

He was now staring at the door as well, so I quickly shifted and looked at him. My stare being blank and distant. He seemed to understand that I knew, but I still had to hear it.

" _Deputy Donavan, what exactly is outside my door?_ "

Time stood still for a moment, his eyes once again pierced mine. And for a split-second a new emotion washed over his features. Anger. A sense of subtle rage.

" _Most likely one of the heretics; a vampire able to conjure magic, they use the blood they drink as a power source._ "

That was not the answer, I had expected. A werewolf, sure. A vampire, why not? But a freaking hybrid between a witch and a vampire, what the hell was happening here?!

I quickly grabbed my mother's grimoire and flipped through it vigorously. I wasn't sure how long the barrier would stay up, if whatever was out there, could use magic. The deputy, Matt, seemed to be highly confused, looking at the book and back to me numerous times. He didn't seem to put two and two together, so I speed the process along.

" _Right now Deputy, me being a witch is the least of your worries._ "

" _Guess you really are related to Bonnie after all, do you think there's a spell to dismember one of those things?_ "

He pointed to the door, not really being fazed by my witchy-whereabouts. He seemed to have become a bit calmer, but why escaped me. His eyes were demanding an answer, and I wasn't quite sure if using the heavy artillery would be worth it. after all, these spells had a price, not only on my body; but my soul as well.

Loud banging startled us both, although it quickly came to a halt. And just as Deputy Donavan exhaled in relief, the door was blown up. A beautiful brunette was gazing in at us, with a devilish smirk. She tried to step in, but was pushed back several steps. At least the protection barrier still worked.

" _That's a cute spell, witch._ "

A blonde girl came into view, with a taunting laugh. She examined me and it was clear Donavan was feeling anxious on my behalf. My spell seemed to amuse them, which reminded me of what their source of magic was; their vampirism.

They wouldn't be able to break the barrier, because nothing unnatural could overrule the natural balance. Magic 101. I got up with a smile of my own, walking up to the door. Not too close and not too far.

" _Cute, huh? Seems to me, you can't break this barrier, solely because of where your magic has its source_."

This seemed to anger the brunette the most, the blonde one just looked flustered.

" _Oh, we'll break it alright, wait and see!_ "

She tried to pull off a confident smile, but she knew it would be impossible. Everything had its balance, and this one seemed to be tipped in my favor, thankfully. But they clearly weren't going to give up easily, even though they knew what the outcome would be. They would still try.

" _You know the rules, Donavan. Anything found in Mystic Falls with a pulse, is ours to play with. And guess what, she has a pulse._ "

The blonde had an accent when she spoke, something that almost overshadowed what she'd just said. I looked back at Deputy Donavan, not understanding whatever agreement they had. My eyes had gotten pretty big at this point.

" _If Lilly wants a truce to be upheld, you can't just kill whatever you like or whomever you like!_ "

Donavan's voice was stern and fuming with anger. It wasn't often I saw a seemingly normal human seizing up a full blown heretic. But then again, I'd never seen a heretic before. Both of the two girls seemed to look at each other, as if to assess the situation. He might've actually gotten through to them.

I stopped staring at them and turned towards Deputy Donavan silently whispering 'good job'. He didn't seem as sure of his actions, as I momentarily was.

" _You're right about that, killing her wouldn't be in our own best interest. But teaching her a lesson, sure would._ "

The look on Donavan's face made me turn towards the women, but not quick enough.

I felt a severing pain go through my neck, as I blinked and notice the heretics no longer were in sight. I held my neck, feeling like my head was spinning in high paced circles. I felt as though warm fluids were being splashed on my hands and neck, what kind of spell was this?

Deputy Donavan quickly helped me, balance my weight by wrapping my left arm around his shoulder. I still wasn't completely sure what they'd done, all I knew was that I was losing more and more energy. As if being drained.

" _A spell shouldn't have been able to penetrate the barrier, how the hell did they do that?_ "

My voice was groggy, even to my own ears. At this point Deputy Donavan was carrying me somewhere. I just couldn't figure out where. I could swear, it felt like my body was floating further away with every step he took.

" _We need to get you to a hospital._ "

" _A hospital. Why? They can't fix the spell, Donavan._ "

" _This isn't a spell, Ariah! She threw a dagger at your neck. Your main artery is punctured, but she didn't cut it all the way through. How did you not feel it when it hit?_ "

" _I. Felt. Something._ "

" _Ariah, stay with me okay, just stay with me!_ "

Now, it made sense. I was literally getting drained, by the major blood lose. As my grip on reality was slowly slipping, I wasn't even sure if I was in the car, or if Deputy Donavan was even driving. It felt strange, and cold, and my vision wasn't helping me in any way.

It's probably a very random thought to have, during a near death, close to full on death experience: but Deputy Matt Donavan was one of the good guys. Truthfully, I didn't know him on an in depth level. All I knew was that when I didn't even know I was in harms way, he tried to save me. He didn't know who I was, where I was from or if I was even a person worth saving. He didn't care. He just tried. And is still trying!

People like him are what restore my faith in humanity. Well, that's at least until he screws it up, and I lose my faith in humanity all over again. Yes, because I'm just a pessimist like that. And because no one can be _that_ good and not have something wrong with them. But for now he's still a good guy, and if he manages to get me to a hospital before I die; he's an even better guy.


	2. Chapter 2

" _Is she going to make it?_ "

" _We've managed to patch up the wound on her artery, but she's lost a lot of blood. Her condition is stabile for now, but we'll have to keep her overnight; in case any changes occur_."

I heard snippets of the conversation, as my body hadn't regained full awareness yet. I guess it was one of the witchy perks of being a witch, our out-of-body senses were on high alert when our bodies were down. And right now my senses were instinctively making sure, I wasn't in any danger. The best way to describe it, was like a reflex. I couldn't help it, I'd been on my own so long, it had become second nature.

" _When do you think she'll wake up?_ "

" _I'd give her at least a couple of hours_."

Sure, if I wasn't a dabbler of the magical kind.

I sat up straight, feeling the wires and tubes creeping around my arms and neck. It felt suffocating. The first thing I noticed were the bright white walls, and the sickening sterile smell hospitals often carried. I could definitely feel the anxiety kicking in. My track record with hospitals wasn't too good. I looked down my left hand, and instinctively ripped out the morphine drop. The pain was excruciating, but I'd live. The second thing to go was some odd looking wire on my right wrist.

" _What in the world do you think you're doing?!_ "

I'd clearly caught the nurse of guard, by waking up and ripping out my medical shackles. I wasn't about to stay here, no matter my strength level. I'd rent a room in a scrappy motel before I stayed one night in a hospital. I quickly threw away the blanket and tried to get up, but was quickly overpowered by the lack of strength and searing pain in my head. My efforts to get up had ripped up some of the stiches on my neck.

" _Miss, you can't just leave, you need to stay the night; you'll be released tomorrow._ "

" _I'm NOT staying here!_ "

I cringed at the thought, and held my hand up to my neck, trying to cover the pain. I quickly glanced at my hands and noticed the marks from the places I'd ripped the drop and wire. It didn't look to bad, but I should probably heal it before it got any worse. I placed my hands on the bruised areas and closed my eyes, trying to pull back the panic.

" _Sana, sana._ "

The bruises started healing under my fingertips, as I whispered the words. I wasn't about to give this nurse a reason to lock me in the psych ward. So I tried to be as subtle as possible with my little trick. I slowly got up, leaning on a nearby table. I looked at the Donavan who had been talking to the nurse earlier. I wasn't sure why he was still around, I appreciated his determination to not let me die. But that still didn't make me his responsibility. At least now, I knew what to protect myself against. Just another motivational reason to find my father's grimoire, fast.

" _Discharge me, my neck is going to heal just fine at home; give this bed to someone who actually needs it_."

I was looking straight at the nurse, whom seemed quite reluctant to do what I asked; so I knew I had to do something drastic. I knew I'd regret it. But I seriously couldn't stay one more second in this place.

" _I'm sorr-_ "

I gently took her hand, not breaking eye-contact. I felt Donavan's gaze on me, clearly he was in for a surprise. The nurse seemed to be frozen in her spot, eyes locked as if in a trance. I noticed she had my paperwork in her other hand, and I slowly took it out, and put it in front of her. She seemed in a complete daze and kept her eyes on me. I had to be quick as my energy level was starting to weaken immensely because of my current power-play.

" _Look at the papers, all my results are as expected. The protocol will be to discharge me, so go on; sign the form and file it_."

" _Your results are as expected, I'll sign the papers and discharge you according to our protocol._ "

Her voice seemed distant as she spoke and wrote her signature on the papers. My legs almost gave in, keeping up the hypnosis when I still wasn't fully healed was taking a tool on my body. This wasn't something I did often, especially given the fact that it drained the individual commencing the hypnosis. Not all witches had the ability to pull it off, even within my family, very few witches had access to it. My mother being one of them. Thus, my reluctance to make use of it. That and my father warned me of its corruption, if used excessively. Some witches had even been led to the brink of insanity.

" _What the hell did you just do! Did you just compel her?!_ "

Compulsion? I guess hypnosis and compulsion could be one and the same, vampire compulsion was just longer lasting than a witches' hypnosis. We often tend to be a bit more shortsighted when it comes to the more crazed categories. Unless we've been given a reason to be vindictive. That's a whole different ballgame. I looked at him and gave small nod.

" _I'm actually more used to the term hypnosis? But sure, let's give compulsion a world_."

I laughed, staring at the bandage on my neck, examining the damage. It wasn't too bad, but I was still pissed I'd given the heretic an opportunity to hurt me. I noticed dark circles under my eyes, and felt the fatigue hit me. I sat on the bed, tumble back on top of it, to be more exact and noticed the glare the deputy was giving me. He was about to start an argument; it was practically written on his face. And I wasn't about to lose any more energy. So I decided to take out my phone and look for what I'd initially been looking for, before I ended up here. A place to eat.

" _Listen, Matt, right? Chief Deputy Matt Donovan; I'm thankful you didn't let me die. Really, thank you. But I don't think you have the right to judge me for not wanting to stay here, and actually doing something about it. No one got hurt, no one died, so stop looking at me like I've just killed a puppy._ "

I didn't have to look up from my phone to know how he'd been looking at me. It was most likely the same look he'd given right before I started looking through my phone. A look of annoyance and slight disgust. I quickly got back up, exhaled and gave him a pat on the shoulder before I walked out of the room. I'd found a little Italian diner not too fare from here, so there was no need to keep the good deputy from his work.

" _Wait! You can't leave, you have to come with me, I have friends that can help you, help you stay safe._ "

His voice had desperation underlining it, just like the first time we'd met. I was starting to wonder, if he carried a martyr-complex – wanting to save anyone and everyone. I turned towards him, a couple of steps away, and sighed.

I was also starting to question what kind of vibe I was giving, because he didn't seem to understand I could take care of myself. Sure, I almost died, but that was once! And that was only because I got startled, which wouldn't be happening again any time soon.

" _I'll be fine on my own, so don't bother and don't try to follow me_."

My eyes spoke the words into a stronger existence, as I was determined not to get cornered into submission. I had my own back, and I wasn't about to change that. His gaze seemed to lose hope, which made it easier for me to leave. I wasn't about to get others involved in my whereabouts. It would only take me away from focusing on finding my father's grimoire. So I had to keep my distance. But it didn't make me any less grateful, after all. He saved my life.

I walked out of the hospital, feeling my body crave sustenance. I quickly found the diner and decided to sit in a booth by the window. Thank god, my wallet was in these jeans. I practically order every item on the menu, which made a couple of eyes land on me. But I didn't really care, I hadn't had a solid meal for a whole day; So dessert, was pretty much a given as well. The diner was authentic, as the waiters spoke fluent Italian. I only knew common phrases, but hopefully they spoke English as well.

When my food finally arrived, I could almost hear the angels sing. Sadly I couldn't recall the last time hunger had me feeling so overjoyed. Needless to say, I dug in. eating, and binging until the table looked like a massacre. Somehow I managed to slaughter the meal without getting any food on myself; which interestingly filled me with a sense of pride. I sat there for a couple of minutes, awaiting my dessert. While gently dapping the corners of my mouth with a tissue, trying to seem just a tad bit lady-like. When the tiramisu arrived, I gracefully replied grazie tante, flaunting whatever leftover Italian phrases I had in me. The waiter smiled, before leaving me to devour yet another dessert (yes, this was my second).

When I was finally finished, I sat back and looked around the diner, it had a cozy feel and I knew straight away this wasn't my last visit.

" _Well, aren't you a healthy eater. I sure hope, whoever came to dine with you, didn't bail because of the check?_ "

I glanced, to my right and noticed a dark-haired guy with a glass of one, sitting in the booth opposite mine. I hadn't noticed him until now, most likely because he hadn't been there for long. He wore a devilish smile, and I couldn't help but to remember the brunette heretic, and the similar smile she gave. That was right before she threw a dagger at me. It seemed as though he was awaiting a response, but I didn't budge. I wasn't about to converse with strangers, especially not when their aura was this intoxicating. His features were sharp, and his eyes an unknown shade of dark brown. And I could swear, he knew what his presence was giving off, but he didn't let it show. Could he sense I was a witch? or was I just getting paranoid.

" _What's the matter, love? Cat got your tongue?_ "

My eyes narrowed, as I tapped a finger on the table. Why was he singling me out for small-talk? He had a thick accent, which reminded me of the blonde heretic; although his accent wasn't completely similar to hers – it brought on unwanted memories. Memories of being overpowered and put in a vulnerable position. But the tone in his voice, helped soothe that out.

" _Healthy is the last thing I would call this meal, especially given the fact that I finished it myself. I wouldn't worry too much about the check, as I still haven't maxed out all of my credit cards._ "

I gave a polite smile with my deliverance before getting up and pointing a waiter in my direction, so I could pay the bill. The guy in the opposite booth, seemed to chuckle at my statement, taking one last sip of his drink. It was probably best to leave before, chatty-man over here threw more words at me. Even though the food helped my energy level, I still felt sore because of yesterdays events. So right now, resting was a top priority, right alongside finding my father's grim. And no matter how good looking this guy was, I wasn't about to deviate from the plan. Needless to say, my father would've been pretty proud.

I paid the waiter, the owner came and thanked me for my appetite (eating all of the food was by no means cheap) and I headed towards the door. The minute my hand was about to touch the door, it was pulled open by none other than the same guy. My eyes fell on him, as if to search for an explanation. Because common curtesy, did not extend to opening doors for random strangers. He seemed to be amused by the suspicious look I gave him.

" _I assure you, I'm not trying to be a creep; just polite_."

I crossed my arms, tilting my head to the side. He wasn't as easy to read as the deputy had been. That bothered me. It was as if his aura was enveloping me, smacking me right in the face, but I just couldn't decipher it; and to say it bugged me, was an understatement. He didn't seem to pick up on my trail of thoughts, given the smiling façade I was upholding – it made sense. I felt the headache from earlier sneaking up on me, and I tried my best to fight off showing how much it hurt.

" _Thanks, I appreciate the gesture. Have a nice day, Sir._ "

I walked off, not wanting to show weakness to a complete stranger. He seemed surprised by my sudden act of leaving. I wasn't even sure which direction I should be going, so I searched my pocket for my phone. I quickly stopped in my tracks. I forgot it at the table, dammit. I quickly walked back and noticed the guy still standing in front of the door. Instead of walking past him and checking the table, I quickly put two and two together. He gave a smile that showed off his teeth, and slightly elevated cheekbones. Dangling from his left hand was my phone, his other hand was calmly placed in his pocket.

" _I was wondering when you'd notice it was missing, you left it at the table._ "

" _I take it, you were about to give it to me, before I rudely walked off._ "

I felt slightly guilty for letting my assumptions get the better of me. I was fiddling with my sleeves, not to think too hard about the pending headache. I decided to stop gazing at my feet and meet his gaze, feeling some remorse from my abrupt behavior. I reached my hand out, and he placed the phone in my palm.

" _You seem to be in an awful hurry, family emergence?_ "

My gaze went blank. I suddenly felt the urge to say there was no family to create an emergency, but I didn't. My morbid thoughts wouldn't be taken well by most, and most likely not someone I'd just met. I scratched my shoulder, with a vague smile, and shook my head.

" _Actually, I'm headed towards Mystic Falls, do you know where I can catch a cab?_ "

I was starting to regret getting driven by Donavan. Then again, I hadn't planned on almost dying. If I had, I would've persisted on him driving my car. That way I could at least get back home safely. I looked at the guy and it seemed as though his interest level peaked when I mentioned Mystic Falls. His eyes almost devoured me on the spot. I really hoped he wasn't a groupie for haunted places and forbidden areas. If that was the case, I wasn't prepared how to escape.

" _No cabs are allowed to enter the town, love. You do know the place is closed off, right?_ "

Great, why didn't I just stick to asking him where I could get a cab; I'm sure the cabbie would be more than willing to drive me there, if the pay was worth it. I sighed and ruffled my hair, with a tired smile.

" _Yeah, I know, supposedly there's a gas leak and the air makes it impossible to live there. Still, know where I can get a cab?_ "

I cheered up my voice, when I mentioned the cab, hoping he would just point me in the right direction, so I could be on my way. Instead he kept staring at me, like I was the most fascinating thing in the world, this guy sure was starting to climb the creep-scale, pretty fast.

" _Oh that's just a cover-up, love._ "

Now, I was the intrigued one. What exactly did he know? One thing was pretty clear though, he was enjoying the role reversal. Although I tried my best not to show my intrigue, he sensed it. I started playing out a bunch of different scenarios in my head. He could be a heretic, a friend of the deputy, or maybe even something else entirely. It all depended on what information he gave up next. All I had to do, was ask as if I didn't know what was going on. Which in this case, happened to be the overall truth. I had no idea what was going on in Mystic Falls, no idea of the allegiances and absolutely no idea how the heretics had secured a whole town for themselves.

" _And what exactly is being covered up? Possible alien contact, maybe?_ "

I laughed, as if dismissing his theory. Provoking the truth out of someone could often result in the said individual, spilling the truth in anger, to showcase how above their opponent they actually are. Not that I was 100% sure he would fall for it, it was still worth a try. He seemed surprised by my reaction and looked as if he wasn't sure exactly how to verbalize his answer. If he was about to tell me about the heretics, or something else supernatural, I understood his hesitance. I wouldn't be able to casually delve into those matters, with a complete stranger either. Nonetheless, I was expecting something useful. Hopefully.

" _I take it you haven't heard the stories, of students breaking into the town, only to be found dead with their hearts ripped out and their bodies drained for blood. It's a real life horror town, love – wouldn't recommend anyone to go there. At least if you love your life._ "

He was testing me, by giving me the details of the death. Drained bodies, reeked of vampires. I was starting to understand the two women I had encountered, weren't the only heretics in town. And that this guy wasn't all too normal himself. I mean how many, brits hang out in small towns like these? At least to me, this was suspicious, and very much out of the ordinary. He seemed to know a lot more than what he'd just given me, but I wasn't about to push it. that's usually how you end up in the back trunk of some psychos' car; and I was hoping to end my day on a more positive note. I whistled for dramatic effect and tipped back and forth on my feet. It was obvious he wasn't about to give me a cab-number I could call, so I pondered the possibilities.

" _That's a really good story, I'm sure it keeps the locals away. But I think I'll manage just fine, besides. There are much scarier things in the dark, than those that go bump in the night._ "

I shrugged with a smile and signaled my leave. He quickly reached out his hand to stop me, it was clear he had something to say. So I stopped and listen, if anything he'd been an interesting, but brief distraction. And I wasn't mad at that. Although his creep-factor was still pending, he seemed nice even through his deviousness. But his words were interrupted by an approaching woman. Long, slender and with dark brown hair. She had a pale complexion, and looked like the ideal age most women would love to stop aging at. The way she walked, and the posture in which she carried herself, signaled she wasn't from around here. Or even from this decade, she just seemed. Timeless. I couldn't help but eye her subtly, and I quickly noticed I wasn't the only one.

" _What's the matter, love? Cat caught your tongue?_ "

I mimicked his accent and words from before, which seemed to wake him from his minor trance. He laughed taken aback by how good I faked his accent. The woman walked over, not laying eyes on me, but only acknowledging the guy. Which I had no issue with. Her gaze was filled with love, the same way a mother looks lovingly at her child. But she was far too young to be anyone's mother, at least after my calculation. She briefly noticed me and gave me a polite nod before addressing me.

" _I'm sorry, I didn't notice you, are you a friend of Lorenzo?_ "

I smiled, finally putting a name to the person I'd been conversing with, before laughingly ruffling my curls, and opening my mouth to answer. But Lorenzo beat me to it.

" _Ariah, here was just about to be on her way. See, she thought Mystic Falls was habitable, but now knows better, and will be leaving that town alone, isn't that right, Ariah._ "

Two things freaked me out here, the first thing quickly got debunked, as my name was written on my phone cover; so it made sense he'd picked up on that. The other thing, didn't really get debunk but instead confirmed one of my suspicions. Lorenzo, the charming creep, was a vampire. And the guy was trying to compel me, in broad daylight! I couldn't surprise a smile, as I was wearing a necklace laced with vervain, so compulsion wasn't going to work. The woman on the other hand, was the one with the surprise.

" _Actually, Lorenzo, your friend can go to mystic falls if she'd like, there's no longer any danger there._ "

We both stared at her in confusion, she seemed to pick up on it and smile, before lending me her hand.

" _My name is Lilly Salvatore, and I'm happy to give you the glad tidings, of welcoming you back to the town, as many other residents will be returning as well._ "

I shook her hand, not quit understanding what was happening, but it all became a littler clearer when Lorenzo addressed Lilly.

" _But the gas leak is still a danger_ '"

" _No, my sweet Lorenzo, the gas leak has been.. Tamed and the town is now ready to work with the changes the gas leak has made. That way we can all move forward and live amongst each other again._ "

My mind started replacing the word _gas leak_ with _heretic_ , and suddenly everything was starting to make sense. I did my best not to show the lightbulb moment I just had, and forced myself not to look at Lilly any differently than before. Which wasn't easy, since I know safely could assume she was one of the heretics, and clearly the one calling all the shots. She did seem to have years of wisdom behind her, so it didn't surprise me.

" _That's amazing news! Lorenzo here was giving me a hard time, about going back in town. Now, if only I could find a cab to get me back home, my day would be made_."

I exclaimed sounding as cheerful as I could, this was something Lilly took to. And something Lorenzo clearly saw through, as I'd changed my whole demeanor. But could he blame me? I mean by now, he should've put two and two together, and noticed that I didn't do his compulsions bidding. He gave a fake laugh, to accommodate my overzealous smile. Lilly gently laughed and put a hand on my shoulder.

" _I'm sure Lorenzo won't have a problem driving you home, isn't that right?_ "

She gave him a hopeful smile, and I understood by his compliant reaction, the power she had over him. His eyes briefly met mine, and I tried not to look to interested in their relation. Something about them both drew me in. It was most likely the supernatural in them, calling to my clairsentience abilities. Lilly gave me a look, as if to assure that I was okay with it. Which I definitely was. I took a quick look at the bag of leftover food, in my hand and gave Lilly a thankful smile.

" _That's really sweet of you to offer, both of you and I see no reason to decline._ "

I laughed and gave Lilly a genuine smile, I was happy to be on my way home. Needless to say the car drive was going to be interesting, to say the least. I looked at Lorenzo, he took my hint and started to walk towards a car. Just as I was about to follow, Lilly stopped me.

" _Ariah, since you're a friend of Lorenzo's, I'd like to invite you to a welcome back party, I'll be hosting for someone very special to me. A lot of the towns people will be there, so I'd be thrilled if you joined us._ "

Lorenzo stood a bit in the distance with his arms crossed, listening intently to Lilly's words. it was clear he wasn't aware of the party being thrown, but the mention of it seemed to rub him the wrong way. I stood a bit surprised, looking at the woman I'd just met, whom I was almost positive was a heretic, and now was inviting me into her home, to celebrate the return of someone special to her? This was taking turns, I simply couldn't keep up with. She seemed awaiting, but quickly laughed, when she noticed how random and quickly everything was happening.

" _It seems I've startled you, let me just have an invitation sent to you, that way you can make the decision later._ "

I gave a nervous laugh and nodded, thanking her for the invitation. I couldn't say I was leaping at the opportunity to run into the two women from yesterday's interesting events. But I had to give it to them, they sure knew how to mess with my head. Two acting extremely impulsive and this one being a beacon of calm and serenity. Different strokes, for different fokes, didn't even cut it.

" _Anyways, I should be on my way. But it was a pleasure meeting you!_ "

I quickly assured before running of to catch up with Lorenzo. The name had an oddly serious ring to it, Lorenzo. I desperately hoped he had a nickname, so I wouldn't have to say his full name every single time. That was anticipating we had more than one conversation. I quickly got into the passenger seat in the front, placing my decently packed leftovers on my lap. He got in, but didn't start the car. We sat in silence, which didn't make any sense, while he eyed me, as if awaiting some type of epiphany.

" _Is there a reason why you haven't put a peddle to the meddle?_ "

I asked jokingly. The atmosphere was getting a bit too intense for my liking, but that didn't sway me away from seeking eye-contact.

" _My compulsion didn't work on you, why?_ "

" _Because I take a sip of vervain every day, and occasionally wear it, **if** it matches my outfit. Now, can we at least drive, while you interrogate me?_ "

" _Why would you have a reason to wear and drink vervain? What exactly are you?_ "

" _I'm pretty sure you've already figured that one out, I mean I do have pulse, you know._ "

He finally started the car with a smug smile, he'd know from the minute I hadn't complied to his compulsion.

" _So we have another witch in our midst, you guys are starting to become a rare commodity, you know._ "

" _Don't get to excited, I haven't made any plans to stay in town for too long, and when I'm gone you'll be down to one witch again._ "

I wasn't completely sure if Bonnie was the only with in town, but she had been the one Donovan had mention, so the thought was tempting. He gave a light chuckle and nodded my way.

" _I see you've heard about our resident witch, Bonnie._ "

" _Yeah, I have. Supposedly, I'm related to her._ "

Lorenzo almost broke the breaks, when he abruptly stopped the car. Looking at me in disbelief. Seconds later he starting laughing, a wholehearted laughter. I wasn't quite sure where it was coming from, but my relation to Bonnie seemed to amuse him. Hopefully, they liked her. I wasn't about to make enemies on behalf of a family member.

" _I should've known. That Bennett spirit. Gets me every time._ "

He trailed of, restarting the car. I just shook my head with a minor smile. I didn't know the girl, but I was taking his statement as a complement. We talked ourselves through various topics, the town, the state it was in, and very vaguely why it was in that state. He didn't seem to want to give too much away, and I could respect that. He seemed like a loyal guy, and for the time being that loyalty seemed to be placed with Lilly, understandably. After a couple of minutes of silence, we finally came to my house, I got out of the car and so did he.

" _Well, love, this is where we part._ "

I laughed at his dramatic statement.

" _Are you always this theatrical, Lorenzo?_ "

" _Not always, but sometimes the occasion calls for it, wouldn't you say?_ "

He smiled cheekily.

" _Well then, I should properly say my goodbyes, good day, kind sir._ "

I attempted a failure of a ladylike bow, and almost lost my balance. To this he laughed, and I tried to compose myself from following suit. Instead I waved and started walking towards where my front door used to be. I had to fix that door soon, I reminded myself.

" _Also, another thing, love._ "

I turned around, trying to count the amount of times he'd used the word love. I guessed it was a brit-thing, and didn't finish my count. Instead I looked at him, awaiting him to speak, yet again.

" _Call me, Enzo._ "

" _Enzo._ "

It felt like a more natural fit. I gave a grateful smile for the drive and walked inside the house.

 _First chapter and second chapter only a day apart, surprising I know :D I really enjoyed writting the meeting between Enzo and Ariah, and i'm looking forward to her meeting with Bonnie. I can't wait to write Ariah into Julian's welcome party! Once again contructive criticism is welcomed, reviews would be loved and whatever comments you'd like to leave, I welcome as well. 3_


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3: Should I stay or should I go?**

Three days after my run in with Enzo, a small minority had returned back to Mystic Falls. Not many, but just enough to breathe some life back into the town. I hadn't really gone out much, other than to buy some stuff for the house, so it didn't look too vacant. And I thought I'd made it look pretty comfy and cozy by now. At least after my standard. I kept it simple, warm colors, clean cut décor and lots of sage. I'd decided to put the garden to good use as well, and grow a variety of different herbs. Some were common, but most were exotic; picked near the shores and woods of Samoa. So a certain type of magic, was needed to keep them afloat in this soil. But all in all, I was managing.

Mystic Falls was different from the home I was raised in. The customs in my father's country, was spiritually connected to nature and its many deities. And the culture was strongly rooted in an 'open door' policy. Meaning people randomly would drop by with food, mostly around diner time – turning everything into a social event. It carried a certain sentiment of love, in our tightknit community. I guess, what I was feeling at the moment: was homesick. Because the home I envisioned and missed, was no longer there. My father had passed away, same with my mother; and whatever family was left, had been _'cleansed'_ by the remaining towns people. All of this because of a stupid old prophecy. One I still didn't know the meaning of, and had no intention of digging into.

As far as I knew, this was all my mother's fault. She brought the wrath of the people, on my father. She couldn't deviate from her power hungry-ways and decided to use the sacred bond they had to the earth; to magnify her own powers, taking away from everyone else's.

I noticed the warm sensation of tears streaming down my cheeks, and did my best to muffle the sobs that just wouldn't stop coming. I'd manage to lose everything dear to me in less than a week, family, home and safety. And the thought of starting from scratch by myself, was daunting. Maybe that was the reason I wasn't allowing myself to get too excited about Bonnie. Who was to say, she would even want the knowledge and company of a random cousin? Maybe her life was perfectly fine the way it was. Who was I to ruin or burden her? I bit my lower-lip. The thoughts cut my insides open, because I knew I'd already gotten hopeful. From here on out, getting hurt was would be a given. Because whether I wanted it or not, I'd already opened myself up.

My trail of thoughts was interrupted by a vibrating noise. I looked down at my phone and was baffled by the name on the screen. My jaw almost dropped, as I wasn't one to get this blindsided. But lately that had been changing a lot. I rolled my eyes and picked up the phone call.

" _You clearly don't know me, I'd never save someone as 'Handsome Devil' on my phone, Enzo._ "

I kept my voice monotone, fighting the urge to laugh. It was torture. I heard a chuckle on the opposite end, and sighed. When he'd managed to save my number and his own on mine, I had no idea of. All I knew was that he had, and it had given me a good laugh. I was still in the midst of wiping my cheeks from tears, so I commended him for his timing.

" _Wouldn't you rather know, what you're saved as?_ "

His voice was playful, enticing me to react and I almost did. But it wouldn't be fun if I did, since I had an inkling he wouldn't tell me either way. So I made a mental note to snatch his phone, first chance I got, the next time I ran into him.

" _Oddly enough, I'm actually fine not knowing; I'm more curious to know the nature of this call?_ "

I walked out to the newly bought mirror for the hallway, which I still hadn't put up on the wall. I noticed the scar tissue on my neck was healing fine. And that was without magical involvement. After the whole hypnosis at the hospital incident, I was trying to minimize my usage of magic. So small victories like these meant a lot. They reminded me of my humanity, and it was humbling.

" _I have your party invitation, so kindly opened the door and receive it._ "

I stopped, being able to hear his voice behind the front door. I heard theatrical knocks and held my mouth, not to laugh. Because the joke was on him, he wouldn't be able to enter the house. although that hadn't stopped the female heretics from getting creative. I wasn't really expecting, Enzo to pull a knife this early in our acquaintanceship. I usually had to warm my partner up to the idea, before weapons were flung like that.

" _You do know I can hear you're on the other side, right?_ "

" _Sure, I'm just building dramatic anticipation, that's all._ "

I opened the door, still talking into the phone, although I was staring directly at him. He flashed a smile and put his phone back into his pocket. He gestured himself to walk past me, but got pushed back a couple steps. His eyes had widened in surprise and I just shrugged apologetically.

" _A girls gotta protect her home, you of all people should understand that._ "

I eyed him, as he was one of the beings many would categorize as dangerous and frightful. The danger part I understood, vampires fed on humans and had no issues tossing them aside, like fleshy blood-bags. I just didn't catch the vibe of 'fear me, human' from Enzo, so I guessed I would be giving him the benefit of the doubt; at least until he gave me a reason not to.

" _Point taken._ "

He nodded, understandably. I reached out to receive the invitation. I still hadn't decided on participating or not. Enzo seemed to pick up on it, instinctively and dangled the invitation inches away from my hand. I tried to grab it, but he was quicker. Curtesy of his vamp-speed. He smirked, lifting an eyebrow.

" _So, will you be attending?_ "

" _I'm not sure._ "

" _If you don't want to come, I can tell Lilly, something came up._ "

" _Why exactly don't you want me to come?_ "

I eyed him curiously, as my bluntness caught him by surprise. For a split-second he grasped for words, before composing himself.

" _Well for starters, it's going to be filled with a bunch of pompous and arrogant individuals, attending only to further their own agenda._ "

" _Now I'm definitely considering._ "

I laughed to his dismay, he was probably making it a tad bit more dramatic then need be. But if he indeed was telling the truth, I probably should attend, just to keep myself entertained. A bunch of questions suddenly hit me, and I tried my best not look like I'd just had an epiphany. Even though he was a vampire, he didn't seem to notice the minor change in my demeanor.

" _How well do you know the people attending?_ "

" _I know a couple of them well._ "

" _I see._ "

I nodded, not getting the precise answer I wanted. He gave a vague smile, and I feared he knew why I asked. A moment a silence came across us on the porch, and I wondered if I should elaborate on my question. But once again, he beat me to it. I was starting to notice a pattern emerging.

" _There is however a particular person, that'll be attending the event; she too doesn't quite fit in with the given crowd either._ "

I kept my eyes fixated on the sky. I would have to meet her sooner or later, so wasn't the party an opportunity to get it out of the way? Deputy Donavan, had probably already told her about me. Why was I even nervous? I didn't owe her anything and neither did she. My defenses were getting back up, wrapping around me like a snug blanket. At the end of the day, I had to protect myself and not get my hopes up.

" _Bloody hell, you really haven't met her yet, have you!?_ "

" _Could you keep it down?!_ "

I whispered with a hushed voice. A lady walked past us with her two children. Enzo decided to give them a creepy wave, and the mother couldn't get away fast enough with her children. I sighed, shaking my head. The idea felt so much more embarrassing when he said it out loud. He quickly focused back on me, awaiting an answer. Why did he even care?

" _I didn't even know she existed, up until a few days ago!_ "

I finally blurted it out, throwing my hands up in defeat. He seemed to sink his teeth into my reality, not really giving any other reaction; other than blatant surprise. It felt kind of therapeutic to say it out loud, but it just made it all the more real too. I fiddled with the grey sleeve of my shirt, not sure of what else to say. I wasn't even sure of how the conversation would go; hey, we're related! Nice to meet you. I chuckled to myself and that seemed to put Enzo at ease. But the look which came across his face, made my wish I hadn't spoken.

" _We're going for a drive._ "

" _NO!_ "

" _Oh yes._ "

He laughed and I started backing up, so I was in the safe vicinity of my front door.

" _Don't you dare hide behind the protection thingy! I'm not going to drag you to her house, we're just going to.. Shop?_ "

The last word sounded so seriously misplaced in his mouth, I couldn't contain a small smile. Was he serious? Shopping? For what, I mean. Oh, it dawned on me. The party. His sudden change of heart, did catch my suspicion; but I kept my interrogative nature at bay.

" _Now, would be the perfect time for you to be a girl, your opinion would be highly valued, if so_."

I spoke through my hands, as they were placed on my mouth; I was still thinking, rethinking and contemplating my options.

" _You're lucky I'm a guy! I'll be able to help you navigate exactly what to wear._ "

The underlying tone in his voice, when he finished the sentence, made me wave my hands in a 'stop' motion.

" _I think you mean, what exactly NOT to wear._ "

My eyes shot lightning, as I gave him the elevator stare. I wasn't about to go get a _crazy cleavage_ dress or a _scrutinizing short skirt_. I knew my body type could be depicted as highly sensual, in even the simplest of dresses. But that just came with the territory of having curves. And I wasn't at all ashamed, I just wanted my introduction to be based on my personality and not my physic.

" _Fine, fine. Choose whatever, I'll just tagalong for commentary-purposes and refined approval._ "

" _Or you could not._ "

" _Ouch!_ "

I smiled widely and walked back inside to get my purse. Dress shopping with, Enzo was not quite what I had planned for the evening. But what the heck, all wars needed preparation. And this was definitely a war, because social gatherings like these; were, as Enzo so decadently had mentioned – a crowd she didn't quit fit in with. If anything, this would be interesting. I walked back out seeing the same fake-hurt expression on his face.

" _Let's go._ "

" _By all means, lead the way. To my car._ "

I covered a small laugh and got in the passenger seat. The drive was pretty informative, Enzo finally broke his silence about how he knew Bonnie. Apparently he'd met her through a guy called Damon. I don't know how it happened, but the conversation had quickly gone from that, to how Damon had abandoned Enzo in a burning building, INSIDE A CAGE! A freaking cage. He then went on to elaborate on how deep the betrayal had been, on the time they'd spent in their cells calculating how to escape. When Enzo was done, I just sat there in silence and tried to fathom the amount of pain and agony one person; or in this case, a vampire could take. Although he assured me, he'd gotten over it, it was clear that couldn't be the case. When he noticed my contemplating demeanor, he quickly changed the topic once more. This time flipping it on me.

" _Anyways, tell me why you've suddenly decided to appear in Mystic Falls?_ "

" _I'm looking for something, something my dad left behind here._ "

" _And what exactly is that? Family jewels, a large inheritance, a secret family tree linking you to roy-_ "

" _His grimoire._ "

" _Oh._ "

He stopped his lengthy stream of conscious questions, and gave me a look that told me he had another question. I rolled my eyes.

" _Go on, since we're doing a circle of trust, what else would you like to know?_ "

He gave a gentle but sincere smile and proceeded, with caution.

" _If I remember correctly, a grimoire is only passed on, whe-_ "

" _When the person in charge of it dies._ "

I finished his sentence, not looking at him but out the window. My stare was blank and distant. I didn't mean to cut him off or be rude, quite frankly I was surprised by his knowledge of how the lines of decent worked. He seemed the notice the shift and kept quiet. Which made me feel worse. He had just opened up and told me about something awful he'd endured and here I was closing of at any given opportunity. I sighed and shifted my gaze from the window to my lap, before trying to initiate eye contact.

" _Both of my parents are dead, killed by other practitioners of magic, the terminology witch and warlock aren't used in Samoan context. Instead we have Faataulaitu, which are spirit dealers and Taulasea which are the traditional healers._ "

I took a deep breath, as I found it important to highlight the differences. It was obvious Enzo was tuned in, soaking up every word I spoke.

" _My mother was accused of being an evil spirit dealer, as she tried to rob the earth of all its magic, to magnify the multitude of her own powers. Because of this, the town we lived in, decided to do a cleansing ritual, sacrificing my family, as well as extended relatives; to appease the ancestral spirits, which had been drained and weakened by my mother's plot._ "

I looked to Enzo, as my words stopped. I wasn't sure why, maybe I just wanted to read his reaction. He seemed in deep thought, like my presence in the car wasn't even noticeable. The atmosphere had intensified and it made sense he needed a couple of seconds to make sense of it. I also knew what question would come to his mind, once he'd finally digested the story. And not a second to late, did his gaze shift towards me; painting the expression of the question, I knew to be pending in his head.

" _How come you weren't a part of the sacrifice?_ "

" _if it was up to the townspeople, I probably would've been._ "

I bit one of my nails, looking right ahead. I tried to compose myself, but it was hard. And as inappropriate as it was, I actually started laughing. It was my worst coping mechanism. But it was my coping mechanism, nonetheless.

" _But, the ancestors had other plans with me. I wasn't to be sacrificed, but prophesized. A prediction of the future, made under divine inspiration, was made about me._ "

My voice was tainted with sarcasm. I had no intention of taking part in their stupid predictions. Especially when all I sometimes found myself thinking about was, how much I wished to be with my family. Even my mother. Even in death, I thought their company would be the better. At least, better than a future without.

" _A prophecy is no joke, Ariah._ "

" _Neither is mass murder disguised as a cleansing, Enzo._ "

I spit back, surprising him and myself. My anger hadn't been intended for him, but the last thing I wanted to talk about was the prophecy. I knew he was right, I just wasn't ready to explore whatever a predestined future had prescribed to me. It was all too, larger than life, for me. I glanced at Enzo, and notice him nodding for himself, clearly taking my words in. I sighed, ruffling my hair and gazing at him with apologetic eyes.

" _I'm sorry, I didn't mean to snap at you. I'm just not quite ready to take on a prophecy, yet._ "

I gave a tired smile, and hoped he would understand, something he seemed to do. I gave my shoulder a pat, and equaled my own tiresome smile. I quickly noticed we'd arrived at some type of huge mall. And it didn't take long for, Enzo to get back his playful charm.

" _But, you're a witch right? I mean you're not a spirit dealer or?_ "

" _Technically I'm witch. When it comes to magic, you take from your mother's side, so since she was a witch, I'm a witch._ "

I proudly pointed at myself with pride. He grimaced at my prideful statement.

" _My father on the other hand was a skilled healer, I got my gift of sight from him._ "

" _Wait, so you can see the future?_ "

" _If I practice hard enough, maybe. Right now I'm just clairsentience._ "

" _You can read people by touch._ "

" _Exactly!_ "

Complete and utter surprise was written on my face. He was proving to be more knowledgeable, then I liked admitting. He smiled deviously, knowing how annoying he was being. We walked into a dress shop, which we quickly walked out of again. To Enzo's amusement, I had freaked out when I noticed the shop in fact was a dress shop of a different sort, then the one needed to attend the party. Something he clearly had noticed, but didn't disclose until, I dragged him out. When we finally found the right one I told him to stay outside. An idea he wasn't too fond of, but did comply to.

I walked in, browsing for a couple of minutes, and trying various dresses. I wasn't really a shopaholic, and only did it when my other clothes started getting worn out. Every dress in the shop, suited a different personality; and I had difficulties finding one that suited mine. But after a couple of try-outs, I found the dress. Not a dress, but THE dress. It was a breathtakingly dark Bordeaux, almost fading into complete black, the length was right below the knee and it had a patterned see through sewing, around the shoulders. It wasn't too tight around my hips either, which was a home run. So all in all: I was sold!

I walked out of the shop with a gigantic smile plastered on my face, but quickly tugged it away, as I saw Enzo standing with a blonde girl. This guy just seemed to know everyone, I sighed. Slowly but steadily I walked over to them, locking eyes with the girl. She was pretty, immensely. Sharp features, blue eyes and a certain awareness came about in her presence. I noticed a shopping bag from the same store, I'd just left and gave a soft smile.

" _And you are?_ "

I tilted my head, and lifted an eyebrow at her gesturing statement. I didn't like her tone, and it was obvious, Enzo was picking up on that. I decided to smile, the girl clearly was barking up the wrong tree with me, but I wasn't going to get swayed by her petty mannerism. Instead I reached my hand out, something she responded to, giving me her own. Still staring at me inquisitive.

" _None of your business._ "

I shook her hand, before pocketing Enzo's car keys, and walking towards the car. I wasn't feeling chatty, nor did I feel the need to engage such a blatant lack of respect in the beginning sentence of an introduction, nonetheless. I couldn't help but chuckle, slightly, as my gesture must've baffled her. She probably thought I was about to say my name or something of the like. Enzo quickly caught up to me with an expression I couldn't quit read. Maybe, it was because I wasn't focusing. I was trying to think of ways to do my hair for the party, and I just couldn't settle on one.

" _Well that was very curtsies of you back there, you're a witty one, aren't you?_ "

I shrugged and got settled in the car.

" _I didn't like the presence she gave off, maybe I read her wrong; but the words she spoke with, didn't speak in her favor._ "

I spoke in a matter-of-factly sense, as I deeply cared about addressing people the same way I would like to be addressed. And when that wasn't the case, I did the one thing I was in control of. Leaving the situation, before I got myself into something troublesome. He seemed to understand, and found it more amusing than I did.

" _She's one of Bonnies best friends, you'll do good, to stay on her good side. Just some advice._ "

" _I'm not going to kiss up to someone, just because they're on Bonnies 'good side'. I don't have to like everyone she likes, and neither does she. If we go together, we go together. If we don't, we don't._ "

I let my hands fiddle with the fabric of the dress, whilst my words sunk deeper within me. It was more so, a demand of myself, then a statement directed at Enzo. I had to remind myself, changing for others, almost never worked out. I, or was worth it. I had to be accepted for who I was, and either hated or loved for it. Any less, just wouldn't cut it.

" _And there it is, once again ladies and gentlemen; the outspoken and unapologetic Bennett-spirit!_ "

I punched him in the arm, and fell back into my seat. Remembering the unrivaled and untamed charisma both my mother and grandmother possessed, and wondered if it truly was a family trait. I laughed, and reckoned all families most likely had those type of similarities. As we got closer to my house, the conversation kept going. We talked about his reasons for going to the party, a topic he vaguely touched upon. A woman he deeply cared for would be there, and I was pretty sure that woman was Lilly; but I didn't inform him of my hunch. Instead, I listened as he explained the strained relationship between Lilly and her sons, it didn't take much to figure out of much of in the middle Enzo actually was. But I had to get something off my chest.

" _When I first met Lilly, I couldn't help but pick up on the presence of your strong bond. I'm not a pro at interpreting my gifts yet, but it was almost like a bond of family, but you're not re-_ "

" _She's my sire._ "

I stopped my stream of words, when I heard his statement. We were now in front of my house, and my eyes were as big as teacups.

" _That's why I couldn't explain it, it was unnaturally deep and connective._ "

I said in a contemplating voice, this was the first time I had personally been in contact with a sire-bond, and it had been intoxicating. To briefly touch upon the bond many vampires saw as more sacred than blood relations, and stronger then the ties of marriage; had been a trip to say the least. Although the story of how it had happened and came to be, would have to be reserved for another time. Right now, I had to get some food in my system, and Pinterest different hairstyles for the coming event.

" _Prepare to be asked several scrutinizing questions, next time we meet!_ "

I yelled before jumping out the car with my bag, I saw a brief smile, before I turned to walk.

" _I'll prepare myself, and hopefully that circle of trust, we've established will protect me._ "

I laughed, and nodded, as he saw his way out of the drive way and of too wherever he lived. It dawned on me, I hadn't asked him that. I closed the door behind me, and took the invitation from the living room table. The card was actually really pretty, and decadent. Like a gem from a different era.

" _We kindly invite you to join us in welcoming back a very remarkable soul, Julian. The festivities will be held at the Salvatore Mansion on 3rd street of Melville. Drinks will be served by the plenty and we wish you a happy spirit in arriving._ "

I trailed off when I noticed the date. TOMORROW! I was going to need a game plan, and fast. Because I most likely wouldn't just be bumping into Bonnie, I would be bumping into her friends, her foes. What if I suddenly hit it off with someone she disliked, or on the contrary, disliked someone she liked? Well I guessed, I'd just have to keep my speech from earlier in mind. But one thing was for sure, I wouldn't try and do anything, more than just be myself, and maybe mingle a little.

I sighed and attacked the sofa in a gracious fall. Tomorrow evening, would be the bringer of interesting things. That I knew I could be sure of.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4: Sensations of past and present**

 _I tried to wash the scars and marks from under my skin_

 _But you're etched in me like stone._

The strong and soothing tones of JoJo's new single _Save My Soul_ , was ringing through the entire household. Resonating strongest in my room, as I was getting ready in there. The dress I'd bought was sprawled out on the bed, next to an old family heirloom; an upper-arm bracelet, bathed in gold. I imagined it would look pretty, right underneath my Marquesan cross. The Marquesan cross was the first tattoo I'd ever gotten. It was placed on the outer part of my left shoulder, and looking at it now brought back a bunch of memories. I smiled, trailing my finger across the many lines and detailed features.

The tattoo artist I got the piece from, was a childhood friend called Siva. Which was ironic, since Siva meant dance in Samoan; and this guy, didn't have a shred of rhythm in him. I laughed reminiscing about my senior year in high school, and prom. We had been inseparable, pretty much attached by the hip, ever since I could remember. He even asked me to prom, when neither of us had dates. It had been a blast, mostly because he kept trying to dance. All in the name of making me crack up and forget about a bad breakup. And it had worked.

 _A moth to a candle_

 _That's me to you_

 _I was never this fragile_

 _Or consumed_

 _I'm covered in shrapnel_

 _Through and through_

 _And I wish I knew how to_

 _Hate you_

The chorus picked up and my mind came back to the present. I shook my head, trying to shake the nostalgia off. All I could do was hope, he was well, I guessed.

A couple of seconds into moisturizing my face and prepping it for the minor make-up tutorial I was about to do; I exhaled and decided to focus on the upcoming events. Tonight was the night. My introduction into the town and its many personalities. Hopefully I'd get along with most of them. I started humming and singing along to the ending part of the song.

" _You're the pain and the medicine_

 _One taste and I'm numb again!_ "

I walked around the room, in a towel, finding the black lace pumps I was going to wear, and a simple pair of nude bra and undies. I wouldn't call myself a phenomenal singer, but I had somewhat of a voice. I'd always loved singing, and writing poetry which often turned into lyrics. But I wasn't much for the idea of showcasing it to others. I guess, I was an introvert. At least when it came to my passion for music.

I got out of the towel and into the underwear I had picked. My hands quickly slithered around the dress, before I put it on, and zipped up the back. Yeah, I was flexible like that.

I took a look in the mirror and was pleased. The dress was gorgeous, simple and lacey, and gorgeous. And I couldn't get started on my hair fast enough. I had decided on doing an upside down braided bun up-do. It sounded a whole lot more complicated than it actually was, but thankfully it looked complicated; thus people would believe I had put time and effort into it. After a good 10 minutes, I was done with the hairdo, and decided to finish off my make-up.

I would be going for a natural look, doing a bit of strobing to my cheekbones, the bridge of my nose and my chin. It would give it a slight but naturally looking glow. I tinted my lips with a bit of lip balm, a warm light brown shade; some mascara to extend my lashes and eyeliner to outline. To finish it all off, I put on my upper arm bracelet, placing it underneath my shoulder, below my tattoo. I slide my feet into the pumps and took a final look into the mirror. I exhaled, shaking my hands frantically.

" _Shaking out the nerves, c'mon Ariah. You can do this, be polite, be you. You can do this!_ "

I did a few small jumps, and laughed at my appearance. It looked like I was getting ready to get into a fight, jumping around and all. I let out a huge sigh of relief and walked down to get my jacket and my purse. I went around the rooms and got all the lights, I wasn't about to get an electricity bill the size of a country. Not tonight at least. I hurriedly lock the door behind me, and checked to see if I had my car-keys and phone. And indeed I did.

The drive to the Salvatore Mansion wasn't too fare, they lived surprisingly close by. For some random reason, I decided to drive by Dunkin' Donuts, just in case the party didn't have actual food. I'd leave it in the car, and sneak out to eat; if it got unbearable. When I got to the mansion, I noticed a bunch of cars already parked, and guessed the party had started.

The sun was setting, and I nervously eyed the package I was carrying. Being invited to a new home, meant offering a gift of gratitude and welcoming. In this case I'd decided to make something. Since I'd already blown my budget on the dress, I didn't mind spending a couple of hours on handcrafting a special little something.

It was a vividly detailed, black and white painting of two Tawney owls. Although adorable, they had a presence of wisdom and elegance surrounding them. Eyes darkened while resonating a depth unlike a common painting could. They almost looked alive, as if they would jump out of the frame and fly away. This specific owl reminded me of Lily, she carried a calm fierceness and so did this animal.

I managed to knock on the door, and hold onto the painting, without looking like a complete klutz. A few seconds went by, and I managed to over-think everything, while questioning why I even showed up? But my thoughts of fleeing were abruptly yanked away from me, as the door opened. I had to gather myself.

" _My oh my, look who it is Mary Lou._ "

My blood froze.

" _Well didn't you heal, just fine_."

The blonde showed up behind her friend, and the menacing way she applied pressure on the last to words, made me grit my teeth. I should have probably made a mental note; reminding myself, they would be here. However, I made sure to keep a calm façade. The last thing I was about to do, was give them the pleasure of seeing me sweat. The brunette was the intense looking one, the blonde seemed more. Normal? I wasn't sure if it was the right word to use, but it was the closest that came to mind. I took out my invitation, with smirk and walked up a few inches from the brunettes face.

" _Do us both a favor, and move_."

I spoke under my breath, faintly smiling. She seemed to be taken aback by my sudden move. Clearly, she'd thought she could bully me into rolling over. But I wasn't any ones' pushover, especially not this chicks!

" _Ariah?_ "

" _Lily_!"

I saw her appear behind the two women, and she seemed surprised. I wasn't sure if she'd heard my not so courteous request, although I hoped she hadn't. Her fixation seemed much more apparent, and the girls seemed to catch on. Was my dress stained? Why the hell were they staring at me like.. Like diner! Holy shit! They're going to drain me, aren't they!? I gulped, eyes widening from the mere thought.

" _You look stunning._ "

I exhaled, and started laughing. Lily's voice had been thoughtful, revealing why she'd eyed me so much. The two others exchanged glances of dislike. Guess, they weren't too happy about Lily complementing others. I wondered if they were her children, but as far as Enzo had explained; Lily only had two sons. The possibility of her siring them, was still a pretty solid assumption. Lily's smile widened, as she signaled me to enter their home.

" _I see you've met Nora and Mary Louise_."

She gestured firstly to the brunette, Nora and then the blonde, Mary Louise. I nodded with a small smile, rubbing my neck out of remembrance. Lily turned towards the two heretics, and now gestured to myself.

" _Ladies, this is Ariah, she is a friend of Lorenzo._ "

Lily smiled back at me, and I nodded, not wanting to give off the ' _actually we'd just met when you suddenly showed up Lilly, sorry to disappoint you_ ' vibe. They seemed to nod nervously, probably wondering why she cared enough to be so nice to me. Something I too, was curious about. But I kept my mouth shut, when suddenly a thought occurred to me. I looked down at the large covered frame I had been carrying, and cleared my throat to speak. Lily and the two other heretics let their gazes vex on me.

" _I thought it would be rude to show up empty handed_."

My voice seemed to tremble. I guess the thought of sharing my work, slightly freaked me out. The idea of her disliking it, finding it odd or just plain out of place, weren't really helping my nerves. Quit surprisingly. Lily seemed intrigued, and looked over at Mary Louise and Nora.

She carefully took the painting, and when she decided to unravel it then and there, I wished for nothing more than to be completely invisible. It was excruciating! And it all happened to go so slowly, making it even more unpleasant. It didn't really help that Lily's facial expression was hard to read. Other than surprise, I had no idea if she liked it or not.

" _You made this?"_

Now, I really wanted to hide. Why hadn't I just bought a bouquet and some chocolate? Hell, I'm pretty sure my budget could have survived it. I nodded slowly, focusing my eyes on everything else than her. I thought about explaining it, and decided to keep it short and snappy.

" _I decided on an owl, because they naturally exude wisdom and calmness yet fiercely defend their family with their own lives, if need be. The reason I centered the piece on two owls, well_."

I smiled, giving a gentle laugh. Why did I have to be such a hopeless romantic? Lord help me.

" _You told me this event was for someone you held dear, so I thought, I'd let them emerge as your fellow owl_."

Her eyes hadn't left the painting once, until I spoke my last words. she looked at me, with glossy eyes, and a half open mouth. I was silently praying this was her happy face, and not her insulted one.

Lily quickly passed the painting to Mary Louise, before whispering something to Nora. Both seemed to disappear immensely fast, and my heart sank. She probably didn't like it, maybe I should have used another animal? But Lily, just struck me as an owl, I couldn't change that! I felt a hand on my shoulder, and my mind once again reappeared in the present.

" _I've never received such a thoughtful gift, from someone I barely know. Although it seems you know me awfully well._ "

I smiled grateful she liked it. Hopefully, this meant I didn't have to fear for my life. But in all truth, I was happy to paint it.

Her hand was still placed on my shoulder, so I decided to give it a small pat, followed by a reassuring smile. She seemed like someone who had endured a millenniums worth of disappointment. I could read her pain, her perseverance and ability to shut out whatever blocked her from doing what she had to do for her family. I sensed confusion, confliction and desperation. I gently let go of her hand, not being able to bare all of the raw emotion, Lily was emitting. Years of bottled up trauma, wasn't exactly what I had prepared myself for. I did my best at keeping a straight face, whilst she softened up in a smile. Thankfully, she hadn't noticed anything.

" _I really don't know how to thank you, Ariah_."

I noticed her frown, as she recalled, not knowing my last name.

" _Bennett_."

" _Excuse me_."

" _My last name is Bennett_."

She seemed genuinely surprised, nodding with a blank expression in her eyes.

" _I see."_

" _You don't mind if I look around, do you? Your home is beautiful._ "

I took in the scenery, and thought to myself, this is the epitome of a graceful house. Yet it carried an element of warmth and coziness, without losing its refined elegance. I saw Lily nod, still being at a loss for words. I didn't mind. I decided to let myself wander a bit, and in less than 15 minutes, I had seen the entire home. I was kind of proud of how quick I'd been, and decided to reward myself with a drink. It was Crystal; and I fully let myself indulge in two glasses. I walked around a bit, small-talked with a bunch of townies and actually felt good. It wasn't awkward nor was it forced. Everything seemed to be going smooth, until:

" _What in the world are you doing here?_ "

I heard a hushed voice whisper, with a confused yet warning tone.

I felt the warm air on my neck, and quickly turned around, only to be stunned. In front of me was standing, none other than; Deputy Donavan. And in all honesty, he looked quit dapper.

A black fitted suit, greyish blue tie and ivory white shirt. The tie was a smart move, complementing the icy element in his eyes, without completely overpowering it; hence the grey. I stood there for a couple of seconds, with my half empty glass, just observing him. I didn't mean to stare, I just had troubles picturing him in anything else than the Deputy's uniform.

" _What does it look like I'm doing?_ "

I scanned the room for another waiter, before waving one over. Matt didn't seem to follow.

At this point, I felt Matt was the more appropriate thing to call him, as he wasn't wearing his uniform. At least in my head. It just didn't feel right calling him Deputy Donovan, when he wasn't wearing the damn uniform. I gently replaced my empty glass with a shiny full one. It was obvious he was about to say something, but I beat him to it.

" _Don't even answer that, what are YOU doing here?_ "

I smiled curiously eyeing him, walking small circles around him, in an almost interrogative manner. We stood near the fireplace and I liked the light and heat the flames vibrantly emitted. It was energizing and slightly hypnotizing. Out of all the elements fire had to be my favorite. And right now, the flames were reigniting my curious nature. Matt looked at me, not sure how to answer. The question clearly caught him off-guard, as he was getting ready to ask me something else.

" _I'm making sure nothing bad goes down."_

I stopped in my tracks.

" _Specification, please?"_

My eyebrows got raised, I was not about to be in another crossfire. He seemed to understand my urge for details, whilst eyeing some of the other guests. He calmly walked over, placing a hand on my waist, leading me towards the balcony. I understood his action, as it was obvious he didn't trust his surroundings. Smart move. As a gesture of good faith, I grabbed him a drink from a nearby tray, he probably had no idea of how suspicious he, himself looked. Not having a drink in hand, at this party, was like wearing black to a white party. People noticed.

When we arrived out in the balcony, Matt closed the door behind himself.

" _Do you know who's throwing the party, you're so casually attending?_ "

He crossed his arms, awaiting my answer. I handed him the drink, and rolled my eyes. He really needed to lighten up. To my surprise, he actually reached out and took the drink. Maybe, he wasn't completely without sense?

" _Lily Salvatore, head of the heretics._ "

" _And you still came?_ "

I smiled, knowing my assumption all along, had been true. I took a sip of my drink, gently swooshing the content. He seemed in complete shock.

" _Calm down! I ran into her, and she invited me._ "

" _Just like that?_ "

Unlike myself, Matt seemed to have downed his whole glass in one go. This was apparently heavy news. I leaned against the wall, staring at the sky.

" _How many are there?_ "

" _Heretics?_ "

" _Yeah, other than Mary Louise, Nora and Lily?_ "

" _Valerie, Bou and Julian_."

He spat the last one out like venom, and I automatically knew, he meant more than the two prior names. My guess was, if Matt hated the guy, he had to be bad.

" _Is Julian, Lily's significant other?_ "

I sarcastically laughed, what would be the odds.

" _Yeah._ "

" _Wait, what?!_ "

I held my hand covering my mouth, with wide eyes. I was getting good at these guessing games. A bit too good for my own taste. This seemed to make Matt laugh, which was a first. I hadn't seen him crack a smile like this, not once before and it was infectious seeing it now. He seemed a lot more personable when he smiled; more human than horrified.

" _Poor Enzo._ "

I whispered, feeling slightly sad for my only friend in town. It had been evident that he'd been harboring feelings for Lily.

" _How the hell do you know him? How are you so familiar with the most random people in this town?_ "

He shook his head, not being able to follow.

" _Okay, okay, I didn't tell you the whole story!_ "

I said in a confessional tone, he seemed to be intrigued, and listened closely to my forthcoming words.

" _I ran into Enzo a couple of minutes before I ran into Lily._ "

" _You're unbelievable._ "

He whispered, and I couldn't contain my laughter. It was obvious he had taken my dramatic pause, as initiation to a more shocking truth.

" _I do agree though, the world is a small place._ "

I eyed the living room from outside the balcony, searching for a particular person.

" _I saw her walk in, a few minutes before I spotted you._ "

" _I don't know who you're talking about._ "

My defenses were up again, and adamant on not being revealed. Even though I was fully aware, Matt knew. Saying it out loud, meant speaking it into existence, and I wasn't ready for that yet.

" _She knows._ "

My heart sank. His words were factual and frank. I looked up at him, denying myself the urge to bit into my lower lip. A bad habit of mine. Instead I just sighed, feeling a small prick of relief. It took some of the weight away from my shoulders.

" _You told her?_ "

" _I did._ "

Silence slithered its way in between us, and a realization hit me.

My eyes fell on Matt, narrow and almost feline like. Something was up, he'd gotten me to the balcony to talk, but seamlessly averted my attention from the awaited topic. I walked a couple of steps closer to him, crossing my arms, not letting my eyes leave him.

" _You never got around to telling me about the specification of what exactly you were trying to prevent, Matt._ "

He seemed to gather were my thoughts were at.

" _Look, you've showed up at a highly complicated time, Ariah and-_ "

" _I can't believe you're staling me!?_ "

I felt a rush of anger and frustration bolt through my joints; almost ripping through my skin and rushing like a riptide towards Matt. An invisible force pushed him against the balcony wall, and I knew I had to calm myself. All I could think of was pushing him, sideways over the edge. But I summoned every ounce of self-control within me, to prevent it.

" _Ariah, what the hell?_ "

Fear was emitting from his voice in frantic waves, and that's when I snapped out of it. This was the downside of my magic being directly linked to my emotions; it could overpower me, the same way emotions overpowered people. He fell to the floor, gasping for air. None of which, meant I still wouldn't try and get my questions answered.

" _Why have you been staling me, Matt. And do yourself a favor, don't lie!_ "

I held my hand around his wrist, this way I would be able to detect his emotions right away. I think it really dawned on him, I wasn't playing around. Because after a couple of ragged breaths, he fessed up.

" _Someone's going to try and kill Julian tonight. I didn't want you to become collateral damage, so I stalled you, while a friend of mine compelled other party-goers to leave at the first sign of a struggle._ "

His words sunk in, and I retracted my hand. He was telling the truth. And I felt like the suckiest person alive, period.

The look in Matt's eyes made me feel even worse, a fragment of fear still lingered in them, and it struck me. I was the reason for that emotion. So I stepped back, feeling unworthy of his constant compassion. My skeptic and interrogative past kept resurfacing, every time I thought I was getting better.

" _I'm.. I'm sorry._ "

I backed away from him, before turning to leave.

" _I'm not angry at you, Ariah. I probably should've just told you. I don't think you wanted to do, what you just did; so I'm not angry with you._"

I hovered for a second, one leg inside the balcony, one leg outside. I turned to face him, with the most genuine and apologetic smile, I could offer.

" _I really appreciate that._ "

I walked back inside, feeling a glimpse of hope. Maybe, I still had time to fix my flaws, before they turned lethal. Maybe.

I walked back towards the fireplace, and grabbed a bottle of bourbon standing on a shelf, pouring myself a decent amount.

" _And what exactly do you think you're doing?_ "

The tone seemed oddly sarcastic yet honestly offended. I sighed, before looking over my shoulder. Nope, I didn't seem to know the guy, but he seemed to know the bottle of bourbon in my hand, pretty well. Because he practically yanked it away from me, in seconds. I raised an eyebrow, and took a sip of the content I had poured in my glass.

The guy had dark brown hair, and eyes that reminded me of someone. Someone close by, I searched the room, and found the person, he resembled. My eyes widened as they found their way back to the guy with the bourbon bottle. He had to be one of Lily's sons, the eyes were practically the same. A few changes occurring only in the shade and lighting. He kept staring at me, and that's when I remembered I hadn't really said anything.

" _The hostess made mention of free drinks, I assumed the bourbon was a part of that arrangement._ "

I took another sip of my glass, just to taunt him. He gave off a dry laughter, and sneered in Lily's direction.

" _I bet she did._ "

His voice was laced with anger, and I knew that wasn't a conversation I wanted to indulge in. so I did the only polite thing to do, silently nod, before turning and walking away. As far as I was concerned, the bourbon was ALL his. No amount of alcohol would ease me into talking about the various broken family dynamics I knew of.

Sadly, my action of politely trying to avoid sideways chitchat, had been frowned upon. And I was now standing, with a strong arm gripping my elbow. He did this, whilst smiling through his teeth, a sinister smirk, I had yet to encounter; aimed at the surrounding guests, so they wouldn't think anything of the given physicality's. No one had dared, to get this close to me, this quick and it was startling. Being this up close to someone so unfamiliar, and seamlessly drowning in their emotional turmoil.

" _Who exactly are you, if you don't mind me asking._ "

I had no way of controlling it, my ability swept through him, dragging out every painfully detailed memory haunting him; as it now came to haunt me. All because he'd been quick handed. If I'd been able to foresee his action, I would have distanced myself quicker. But I had no idea he would be this impulsive, and so I was being baptized in a sea of raging demons and desperations. His pain was in many ways identical to Lily's but they had their differences.

Imagine how hard it could be to take on a single person's pain, now multiple that with how many undead years, this idiot is! The sensation was blinding, causing me to get an immediate migraine.

The pain lessened when he finally let go. My hands were leaning against the sofas armchair. The room was spinning, if I was to believe my deceiving senses. Never had a reading, gone so horribly wrong. I felt sick. Physically and mentally. After a couple of heavy breaths, I looked up at the guy, Damon. Damon Salvatore. I'd never been given so much information on a single individual. I had seen his past, his present and fragmented pieces of his future. He seemed to be just as bothered as I was. And for some reason I found comfort in that. At least I wasn't suffering alone. The look in his eyes was completely blank, like he'd seen a ghost. He tried to regain his composure and reached out to grab my arm in anger. I quickly removed myself, so I wasn't in arms reach. My eyes vivid with nerves, I didn't need to see anymore. I didn't want to.

" _Don't touch me!_ "

" _What the hell did you just do!?_ "

I walked backwards, signaling him to stay where he was. He retracted his hand, understanding that whatever had just occurred, had occurred because we'd touched. I quickly turned around and got enveloped in the sea of people. Something I was thankful for. I just needed a moment of quiet, a moment of peace and silence. A moment to myself.

I walked outside to catch some fresh air, and I noticed how truly drained I was. After a couple of minutes, I forced myself to go back inside. I walked up to the bar, not to drink. But just to have a more permanent place to sit. I exhaled, as I noticed Enzo talking to a girl. Her back was facing me, and she seemed to be helping him fix his tie. Although a small gesture, it sure looked intense. I smiled vaguely, and fixed my gaze on the counter; before Enzo noticed my curiously wandering eyes. I felt someone take the seat next to mine, which automatically made me sit a bit straighter. No one liked a slouch.

" _I get the feeling, you aren't entirely enjoying yourself._ "

I sighed and shook my head with a minor smile. I didn't know the voice personally, but I'd come across it in one of Damon's memories. I kept my gaze ahead, staring at the many bottles. The tone of his voice was soothing, almost inviting. It carried an essence of comfort, and reliability. When I finally tilted my head in his direction, I was hit with familiarity. Everything about him seemed like a second nature to me, and I blamed Damon. A guy I barely needed to know, and now knew more about than I needed to.

" _You have no idea._ "

I forced myself to look at something else, the counter, my hands, the fabric of my dress. Anything and everything, to make me focus on something else. It was overwhelming meeting someone, I'd only met recently through a third person's eyes.

As I no longer was staring at him, I only barely noticed his tired smile, as he nodded to my few words. I usually liked the idea of striking a conversation, but to my own surprise I felt slightly tongue tied. Maybe, I still hadn't recovered from my impromptu reading session with Damon. I still hadn't figured out how it was possible for me to delve in to such a depth, when he hadn't declared himself open to my mind-invasion. But then again, I hadn't been in control.

I wondered if there was a section in one of my parent's grimoire, about these type of things? That way I could prevent it, before it occurred again.

" _That's a pretty decent tattoo, on your shoulder, what type of cross is it_?"

His voice had regained some spirit, disguised as curiosity. Which I didn't mind. To be honest, his question had broken my trance and silence. This was a topic I loved, and it seemed he was willing to indulge the stranger at the bar i.e. me.

" _It's a Marquesan cross._ "

" _You're Samoan?_ "

I laughed taken aback by his observation. His curious gaze had been replaced by a patiently playful expression. I gave a small but proud nod, before speaking.

" _My father is_ "

I stopped and quickly rephrased.

" _My father was._ "

He picked up on it, and for a split second, his eyes seemed to carry a solemn apology. I sighed trying to smile, although it was slightly pain stricken.

" _The Marquesan cross, symbolizes the delicate balance between the different elements of nature._ "

I said matter-of-factly, pointing a finger to the air, like it was the most common thing on earth. He seemed to ease up again, and I nodded.

" _In case you were wondering._ "

" _Oh I was._ "

He laughed, and I was thankful the mood had lightened up again. I didn't want to be known, as the barer of sorrow and bad vibes.

I looked back up at the sea of people, and to my surprise my eyes found Enzo once again. Though this time, he was staring straight at me, and so was the girl. The same one that had fixed his tie. My throat dried and I automatically knew who the girl was. Beautiful bronze skin, and eyes which strongly resembled my aunts. Bonnie was ridiculously good looking. Strong facial features, a lean physic. I saw our similarities, around the nose and high cheekbones. Our eyes were similar in shape, but different in color. Same went for our skin, I was slightly paler in comparison to the warmth of her shade. But all in all, our blood relation was evident.

" _You know, Bonnie and Enzo?_ "

The voice in the seat next to mine, curiously asked. I just nodded hesitantly.

" _You can say that, yeah_ "

" _They seem to be headed in our direction_."

He was right. They were. Oddly my nerves weren't as bad as they had been throughout the whole day. I had seemed to calm down, which surprised the heck out of me. I suddenly glanced at him, when I noticed, I couldn't remember his name. Not that he had given it to me, I just had a vague memory of Damon yelling it in a separate memory. Confusing I know. But that's just what happens, when someone accesses your memories. They become intertwined with your own, making it hard to separate sometimes. He picked up on my thoughtful expression, and cleared his throat, Bonnie and Enzo being only a couple of steps away.

" _I'm Stefan. In case you were wondering._ "

He smiled, a small but genuine smile.

" _I'm-_ "

" _There you are!_ "

Enzo's voice cut me off, as he made his way over to give me a quick hug and peck on the cheek. I raised my eyebrow and tilted my head in confusion. I knew these small gestures, were all part of the upper class mannerisms; but that didn't increase my fondness towards them. He noticed and laughed it off.

" _Oh come on, love. It's a cultural thing._ "

" _It's a I'll-burn-your-lips-off-if-you-do-it-again-thing._ "

I said and smiled sweetly, stopping Enzo's laughter abruptly, although he kept his smirk. Stefan clearly found the exchange of words funny, as he contained his own laughter. Only one person seemed to keep quit, real quit. Bonnie. She emerged behind Enzo, and for what seemed the longest time; we just stood there, staring at each other. I didn't know to explain it, but it was like a power-exchange was happening. As if our abilities, were getting re-acquainted with one another. When the surge of energies was over, I felt like a lightweight, and held onto the stool for balance. Bonnie grabbed Enzo's arm, to reassure herself from falling.

I was the first to act, I got of my stool, in a slightly wobbly fashion, but maintained balance. Bonnie's eyes met mine, and I hoped she had sensed the same as myself. I tried to pull off a calm smile, to hide how immensely happy I was to meet her. To meet someone, someone I was linked to; by blood.

" _I'm Ariah Bennett, but given the fact that Matt already told you about me; you knew that._ "

She nodded giving a careful smile, as if still assessing whether or not I was the real deal.

" _What's your mother's name?_ "

She was testing me, the same way our abilities had tested each other.

" _Amelia Bennett._ "

She seemed surprised, surprised that her abilities had sensed how closely related we were. The minute the power-surge had passed, I knew exactly why Bonnie had reminded me so strongly of my aunt. She was Bonnie's mother. Both of Bonnie's hands were covering her mouth, this was probably the first time she'd been fully lead by the intuition of her abilities.

" _My mother's sister._ "

She spoke softly, almost in denial. I nodded slowly, being just as surprised.

" _Guess, we're first cousins, huh._ "

I sighed, giving a nervous laugh. This was all a lot. Bonnie looked over at Stefan and Enzo, they both took the hint, and left. I sensed the tension evaporate and we were left in silence. The rush of emotions, I felt were so strong. I wanted to hug her and just sit and talk for hours. But we weren't kids, and this wasn't just a casual meeting between two normal cousins. We were witches, living in a world filled with creatures only horror flicks accommodated; in a town constantly creating new guidelines for friends and foes. I wanted to trust her, badly, but something in me hesitated. A hesitation, Bonnie's eyes spoke of as well.

After a few more minutes of loud silence, she finally reached her hand out.

" _You look a lot like, aunt Amelia._ "

A soft smile played on her lips, and for the first timer, ever; I took those words as a compliment. I gently took the hand she extended and shook it. Our hands met, and something strange happened. I didn't see anything, I didn't read her, but I felt something slip away. Something slipped from me, and over to her, and this had never happened before. I had never let anyone inside my mind, not a single soul. Although a small but fleeting memory, I no longer could remember what it was about. All I knew, was Bonnie now possessed a partial memory of mine.

" _What did you see?_ "

I asked defeated. I imagined the moment my parents had been killed, the moment they had burnt their bodies, and forced me to watch. As a lesson. The horrific moment they'd gathered the rest and done the same. Their screams, pleas and banshee like shrieks. I held my hand close to my touch, almost feeling the flames of the events on my own skin. Bonnie, took notice of my sudden change and demeanor, and that's when I knew the memory which had passed, hadn't been a gruesome one. Because her eyes spoke of no pity, no sympathy and no sorrow.

" _You came to visit every year, until you turned 9_."

She tried to not laugh, I didn't follow as I had no recollection of that memory. She couldn't contain her laughter any longer and spoke.

" _You used to wear these really ugly neon pink shoes._ "

I scoffed, trying not to laugh and pushed her gently.

" _You're not allowed to mock fashion choices, I don't recall making!_ "

She shook her head furiously and kept laughing.

" _That's not why I'm laughing._ "

" _Then what is?_ "

" _You had the biggest crush on Matt!_ "

" _DONOVAN?!_ "

I yelled in shock, covering my mouth in disbelief.

I'd noticed something familiar about him, but I hadn't been reminded of the hidden memories I had of visiting my mothers' family; until now. Meeting Bonnie, must've unlocked something within me. But I still didn't remember meeting Matt or anyone else except for Bonnie. So I decided to do the only thing I possibly could do and was fully in my right to. Deny, deny and deny. I tried to keep a straight face and crossed my arms, to maximize my stern look.

" _Since I remember absolutely ZERO, of what you've just mentioned; I'll give you the chance to never mention it again._ "

Bonnie kept laughing, clearly remembering a lot more than I did. And it was in that moment, all doubt left me. I could trust her, with my mind and with my loyalty. Images of two seven to eight year olds, running around in the snow, throwing circled balls of white at each other; giggling and carefree, in an eager game of hide and seek, snow edition; flashed before my inner eye. A partial part of the memory I had passed onto Bonnie, and now finally had unlocked myself. She forcefully stopped herself from laughing any longer, noticing my sudden silence. Our eyes once again locked, this time meeting with more familiarity than before. It was as if we'd finally catched up with what our abilities had been signaling to us from the beginning.

" _We have a lot of catching up to do._ "

" _I have an unopened box of donuts in the car_ "

I raised my hand with a hungry smile, and as if on cue my stomach made a growling sound. She chuckled and grabbed a bottle from the bar.

" _Lead the way._ "

 **HELLO THERE~** this chapter became slightly longer than anticipated, but i'm actually glad! I had of lot of characters Ariah had to meet, and the party seemed like the most normal place to unravel all of that :) as usual; feel free to send me a review and give me any type of pointers, or ideas you might have. Stay tuned! I have some interesting things headed your way.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5** **: Unravelling**

We were both half a donut away from cholesterol damnation and diabetes. Not that we cared. Those were worries for tomorrow, right now was about something else entirely. Right now was about catching up on lost time. Although we both knew, we'd need more than one night, and more donuts. But there were just so many questions in my head, so much I ached to know, and I knew Bonnie felt the same.

We weren't kids anymore. We'd grown, lived, seen and experienced life. And although still young at age, our souls seemed to resonate with emotions which outlived our physical years. And I guess, some of my questions were intrigued by this. What had her life been like? What had she seen and experienced, to make her emanate such strength and maturity? Whilst still exuding a silent pain behind it all. I wanted to know. I wanted to help. Because a part of me knew that if I could sense this from her; surely, she could sense something within me as well.

We sat in the car for hours, driving around town, eating donuts, talking and laughing way too hard. Maybe it was the liquor finally kicking in? Either way, I was happy Bonnie was driving. I wasn't about to go to jail. At least not for driving while drunk. She didn't mind, and happily took the direction I gave her.

" _So to sum it up._ "

I started giggling.

" _Julian is a prick, and a very deadly one at that, because he was resurrected by the Phoenix stone. The same stone that fits into a weapon which can destroy him; but just so happens to be in his possession WITH the said stone?_ "

" _Pretty much, yeah_."

Bonnie tried not to laugh, it all sounded very out of the ordinary, even for my kind of crazy. Although I sensed the whole situation was more pending than she expressed.

" _I can't believe Enzo gave Lilly the stone_."

" _Me neither, she's got the guy on all fours! I just don't comprehend what he sees in her?_ "

" _Well._ "

I paused.

" _Ariah?_ "

Her tone was questioning and curious. I sighed and decided to finish, what I had been about to say.

" _She did sire him, and those ties are intense. I knew this girl back home, she decided to turn her best-friend, because he had cancer. The minute he turned, their dynamics changed. but they were still just friends._ "

Bonnie clearly didn't follow, so I kept going.

" _It's like a tie stronger than any blood relation, because it basically is the blood family, of your own choice. And some even explain it as more sacred than marriage._ "

She nodded thoughtfully, understanding what I was getting at.

" _So because Lily sired him and just left, he's interpreting their bond more romantically than it actually is?_ "

" _I really think, it might be the case. I mean the way she looked at him when I first ran into him, it was like a mother staring lovingly at a son._ "

" _It's good to know she can look at SOMEONE that way, I mean she did leave her real sons._ "

" _Come on, Bonnie_ "

" _What? It's true! She left Stefan and Damon, with what Damon tells me, was the most horrible father of all times._ "

I understood her stand point, and I had no excuse for Lily's actions, none.

" _I'm not defending her, in case you suddenly feel like jumping down my throat._ "

I put my hands up in defeat, laughing.

" _I'm just saying, we have no idea why she did it? I mean you, yourself just made it clear; who in their right mind would leave their children with someone unfit to care for them?_ "

Bonnie stared at me, with a thoughtful expression pondering in her eyes. She didn't want to admit it, but she knew I was partially right. Sometimes we as individuals had to look at the circumstances, and remember that they didn't always make up for the actions made during them. But they sure played a part.

Sudden silence surrounded us, and we both seemed to have spaced out, for a split second.

" _Anyways, you seem to know a whole lot about the depth of the sire-bond, something you want to tell me?_ "

Bonnie smirked, her voice filled with reinforced energy, and intrigue. I wasn't sure what to say? There had been a time where I wanted nothing more than.. Than an eternity. I sighed, surprised by how fresh the pain felt.

" _Once upon a time, I fell in love, hard. And I was willing to give up my humanity._ "

My words were merely above a whisper.

It was odd thinking back to a time, were I'd let someone in, and really get close to me. A luxury many people didn't get anymore. In all fairness, my track record with relationships since then, wasn't great. I was self-destructive, and deep down I knew it was a defensive mechanism. I could see the damage before it even happened or became an issue.

Topped off by trust issues, so whenever I got comfortable, my inner voice would start instigating doubt. And before I knew it, I was questioning motives, and that's when I needed space. And that was often followed up by 'you need to go', or 'I just need to figure myself out'; which hardly was a lie. To sum it up, I would push, and push until they finally hit their breaking point and left. Because somewhere in my head, I guessed I didn't deserve it. To be happy, truly happy.

" _So you almost got turned_."

Bonnie's voice was clearly surprised, I nodded vaguely and sighed.

" _What got in the way?_ "

Bonnie asked. I looked at my nails, head tilted slightly to the side.

" _He died._ "

" _Oh my god, Ariah. I'm so sorry._ "

Her words were truly compassionate and I tried not to tear up.

" _Don't be_."

" _What do you mean, that's a horri_ -"

" _I killed him._ "

She stopped midsentence and I looked straight at her. My eyes were watery, but I made sure no tears fell. Bonnie's mouth was gaping, in complete and utter shock. I knew I had to explain it, so I just exhaled, fighting back the urge to break my emotional walls.

" _We had been together for 2 years, when his sire came to town. She wanted him to come with her, travel the world, and be her little confidant again. He opposed._ "

This was getting harder to talk about, by the second. Every moment leading up to the inevitable. Bonnie noticed and extended her hand, gently grasping mine. I tried to whip the tears with my other hand, to no avail.

" _And in retaliation, she compelled him to kill me. She was much older than him, so he couldn't fight the compulsion. One night he showed up at my work, and I knew something was off; so I decided to try and calm him, because he seemed so upset._ "

For a split second, I felt my eyes glaze over. It had been a year since the events, but everything still seemed so fresh. The pain and the memories, like it had just occurred yesterday.

" _He told me what his sire had done, and what she had compelled him to do. So I was forced to barricade myself with a spell._ "

I laughed through some of my tears, remembering how badly I had been at practicing magic back then.

" _I could barely make something levitate back then, but I guess the fear of losing my life, gave me some much needed motivation. I used a fire spell to keep him away, but he._ "

My throat had dried. Bonnie gave my hand a small squeeze, and I noticed how her eyes had gotten watery as well.

" _He and I both knew my spell wouldn't be able to stall him forever, but I was so determined on talking him through it. I was foolish enough to believe, I could help him break the compulsion. But he knew better._ "

I sighed knowing I had come to the very moment, in time I'd repressed. I locked eyes with my cousin, and finished the story.

" _He started agitating the barrier I made, knowing all too well, that my abilities were bound by the elements. Thus whenever he would say something hurtful or angering, the flames would be fed, and burn with more strength. He kept doing this until he knew I no longer could control it, and when that moment occurred. He jumped into the flames. The flames didn't kill him, they burned him severely, making him beg. Beg for me to end it before he regained his strength. He begged me to stake him, before he acted out the vile fantasy his sire had set into his head. And so, I did. I put him out of his misery, and took upon myself the pain, I knew he never could have lived with, if he had done what she had asked of him._ "

I was staring at my lap, and the hand intertwined with my own. It was like holding onto a piece of myself, holding onto Bonnie like this. Soon her arms found their way around me, hugging and helping the pain fade.

I sobbed, for the first time since the night, I sobbed over his no longer undead body.

When my parents were sacrificed, I knew a part of them would still linger with and within me, as I would be able to connect with them, through ancestral magic. But that wouldn't be the case with him. When he died, I knew he was gone, for good. I whipped the tears away and slid up my necklace, from underneath the coverage of the dress. It was a ring. His daylight ring. It had the initial A engraved into it; not for Ariah, but for Alec.

" _He already had a ring, when I made him this one. I just wanted him to carry a piece of me._ "

I laughed dryly, making Bonnie chuckle through her own tears. We sat there awhile, just taking it all in. I was spilling my guts to Bonnie, even though we'd only known each other for a couple of hours. She now knew details about me, not even my bestie Siva did. I had never come around to telling Siva about Alec's demise. They had never really gotten along, and Siva had been pretty against the relationship from the beginning, knowing and fearing how it would end. The last thing he wanted was a best friend, without an actual pulse. So I had decided to just tell him, we had a bad break up. And he had been pleased, although he'd tried to hide it. He had been happy, and I didn't feel like passing on my pain.

" _You're a strong person, Ariah_."

I shook my head at her words, laughing. My tears had finally stopped.

" _Fare from it._ "

" _Just because you don't feel it, doesn't mean it isn't true._ "

I had no words, so I just nudged her shoulder, thankful for her understanding. I noticed the car had stopped, and we had arrived at my home. Bonnie's eyes were suddenly fixed on the cardboard box next to me.

" _Sooo, are you going to take the last one or?_ "

I laughed and tossed her the remaining donut before we got out.

" _This right here, is how you re-introduce yourself into my life._ "

She gushed, as we walked over to my house. I couldn't help but smile. As we walked up the stairs to the porch, she suddenly stopped in her tracks. I looked back with a questioning gaze, and noticed she was fiddling with her phone.

" _What's wrong?_ "

My voice was slightly unnerved.

" _We need to take a picture!_ "

" _Oh my god, Bonnie! I thought something was wrong._ "

I rolled my eyes and laughed, she just swung her left arm around me, and placed her phone slightly above us both. We took the selfie and proceeded to get to the door. I felt an odd sensation hit me, and stopped Bonnie, from reaching the door knob. She looked at me puzzled, phone still in hand. I lowered her hands from the door, and signaled for her to be silent. Someone was inside my house. I could clearly see the hallway light on, and I was sure I had turned them all off. Bonnie seemed to catch up on my feeling, and we both backed away from the door.

" _Didn't you put a barrier around the house?_ "

" _I did!_ "

I silently hissed, completely confused. We both exchanged glances, before I started walking back to the porch again. Whoever was inside, was about to get really roasted. I felt my hands warm up, as small flames started manifesting. Bonnie stood beside me, and the plan seemed to be pretty simple. She would open the door, and I would run in and find whatever had decided to squat in my house.

When she finally opened the door, I ran in, and scanned the hallway, the kitchen, and the living room. When those places were clear, I let Bonnie inside the house.

" _I haven't checked the two rooms upstairs._ "

" _You think whoever broke in, is still here?_ "

" _I'm not sure, I just sense a presence. Something or someone, is here._ "

We looked at each other, when something came to our attention. Almost at the same exact moment, our eyes widened. The upstairs bathroom faucet was on. Whoever was here was taking a shower. The creep level of the whole situation, was now sky rocketing!

" _Element of surprise? We jump whoever is in there while they're vulnerable._ "

Bonnie suggested, adrenalin clearly pumping through her veins. I was about to agree, when I heard the faucet get turned off.

" _Incendia_ "

I whispered, reigniting the flames in my hands. Bonnie whispered as well, but instead of fire, a strong began to shake the room. We both walked upstairs, and into the room in front of the bathroom. The feeling I had, intensified when I got into the room. The only thing between us and the intruder was the bathroom door. I signaled Bonnie to step back, and centered myself right in front of the door. I closed my eyes, exhaled and kicked in the bathroom door.

My jaw almost touched the floor. I was in awe.

" _Don't you look like you've seen a ghost._ "

" _SIVA!_ "

I yelled after hearing the familiar teasing tone of my best friend. I ran straight into his arms, it had been a solid six months, since we'd spoken last. After the sacrificial ceremony, I was shunned, meaning no one from the town was allowed to associate with me. But that would only last two years, as it was a cleansing period. Afterwards 'everything' would return back to normal, and I would once again be accepted into society. Not that I had any intention of doing so.

I stared at him for a couple of minutes, not being able to comprehend that he in fact was here. He hadn't changed much, his skin was still a tanned bronze shade, his brown hair in its usual man-bun and those piercing dark olive green eyes vibrant as always. He was a sight for sore eyes to say the least, and I really had missed him dearly. Although not much had changed, his hair seemed to have grown, a couple of inches; filling out the man-bun just right. I hugged him again, pulling him out the bathroom. Bonnie clearly surprised, had stopped the hurricane wind she was conjuring from getting more volatile.

" _Bonnie, meet Siva Andrews, fulltime best friend, part-time spirit-dealer-extraordinaire._ "

I noticed Bonnie blush, and looked back at Siva. Only know did it hit me; he was only wearing towel. He himself didn't seem to be fazed much, by his own half nakedness; but then again. The guy didn't have much shame when it came to physicality's. I assumed it was the islander in him, and chuckled.

" _And Siva, meet Bonnie Bennett, beloved cousin and conjurer of everything magical and enchanting in this town._ "

They shook hands, giving careful smiles.

" _Hi._ "

" _Hey._ "

They laughed, at the slight awkward tension. Something that would be pretty common, giving how quickly the situation had gone from 100 to 0. A thought crossed my mind, and I was pulled out of my trail of happiness.

" _Siva, what are you doing here? Your coven isn't allowed to have any interactions with me, until the cleansing period is over._ "

" _Well damn, Ariah. Can I get dressed before we get into that?_ "

He laughed, but something was up. Siva wasn't one to take stupid risks, and this definitely fell under that category. If anyone from his coven traced him to me, he could be sentenced to a year without magic. Stripped of his gifts, and denied any access to practice. And that was if I took the fall and told them he'd come against his will. I smiled vaguely, and walked out of the room with Bonnie.

" _PS. You're fixing the bathroom door!_ "

I yelled getting down the stairs. When we finally arrived in the kitchen I opened the fridge and handed Bonnie a bottle of green tea. She laughed and I acknowledged my drink of choice was odd. Ginseng, green tea, honey and lemonade where my favorite things to mix. They had such a purifying effect on the body.

" _So that's Siva._ "

Bonnie declared, with a very telling voice. Her eyes, eyed the stairs, as if awaiting for him to walk down on cue. I smiled widely, and winked at her.

" _The last time I checked, he was very single_."

I silently sang, earning a push and eye-roll from Bonnie.

" _I'm not looking for anything, I'm just pointing out._ "

She stopped trying to find a way to express her thoughts, without giving off a 'scratch that, I'm actually looking' vibe.

" _He's not bad to look at._ "

She finished, and I nodded with a laugh.

" _True, true. I'm just surprised he's here._ "

I trailed off.

" _You mentioned something about a cleansing period?_ "

Bonnie curiously asked.

" _It's the period after a sacrifice has been commenced. No one linked to my father's hometown is allowed to interact with me, at least until the earth fully heals_."

" _Heals as in?_ "

" _Cleanses itself of all the dark magic it was tainted with._ "

I sipped to my cup, tasting my words before I spoke them.

" _Bonnie, your aunt, my mother. She wasn't._ "

I tried to convince myself of the words, I so desperately wanted to speak. She hadn't always been evil, it just evolved within her over time. Her thirst for power and dominance had cost her, her life and the life of many she once had loved.

" _A saint._ "

Siva finished my sentence, walking down the stairs. A vague smile played on my lips, as I was happy he'd used such a tame term. Bonnie, nodded a bit sadden. It was clear, she understood. And I was thankful I didn't have to get into the grim details.

" _Anyways!_ "

I made myself comfortable sitting on the kitchen counter, which was an odd sight, given the dress I still wore. Bonnie seated herself on a chair next to me, as we both eyed Siva. Seemingly seeking the same answers, it was clear Bonnie was still a bit on edge. She was probably not a fan, of the abrupt show up. Siva felt our eyes, but still found time to rummage the fridge for something to eat. He quickly grabbed a turkey sandwich I had made. I mentally waved goodbye to the turkey sandwich, I had intended to eat as a late night snack. This situation felt oddly familiar. He grinned taking a bite, not caving into our silent game of stares.

" _So what do you practice?_ "

He nodded at Bonnie, with a mouth full of turkey, taking the seat in front of her. She was caught off-guard and looked between Siva and I.

" _They don't practice like we were taught to practice, Siva._ "

" _Magic is magic, right? It all depends on how you use it_."

" _Yeah, but you can't just categorize a practitioner as either a spirit dealer or traditional healer; abilities can go beyond just those two categories._ "

" _Careful_."

My eyes honed in on Siva, I didn't like his change in tone. Sarcastic yet slightly taunting. Our eyes looked, and I suddenly knew why he had said it. I decided to just roll my eyes and let it go, but knowing Siva, he wouldn't.

" _You know that's not what I meant._ "

I spoke under my breath, taking another sip at my green tea. Bonnie seemed to be intrigued by the shift in dynamics.

" _I didn't say you did, I'm just asking you to be careful._ "

" _Just because someone doesn't agree or particularly fits in with the either or categorization, doesn't mean they're thinking of world dominance, Siva._ "

" _So, you're telling me, you don't notice how identical your words are to-?_ "

" _I'M. NOT. HER_ "

The lights in the hallway exploded, and I felt my veins fill with a poisonous kind of anger. Why was he so adamant on drawing parallels were none were needed? I didn't care for power, I mean I could barely control mine. And here was a person whom knew me better than most, showcasing his doubts in me. And this was what had angered me. He was supposed to know better. He was supposed to know me. Clearly something less visible had changed, these past 6 months. I felt Bonnie's hand on my shoulder, and was whirled back into reality. I was panting, heavily. Siva seemed surprised, but kept his composure.

" _I didn't mean to anger you, Ariah. I'm just looking out for you._ "

I sensed a glimpse of sincerity in his voice, surprised that I didn't sense more. What was up with him?

" _Siva, why are you here?_ "

I was genuinely curious, because something in him was different. And it wasn't like me, to be unable to read someone. Let alone my best friend. He seemed to tense a bit up, as a result of my question. He put down the food in his hands, and sighed.

" _I'm here because of the prophecy. The one you neglected to listen to, before you left, remember?_ "

" _Wait, what prophecy?_ "

Bonnie jumped in, and I turned to her with a vague smile.

" _Didn't I tell you? The only reason I'm alive, and not dead with the rest of my family; is because of some ancient prophecy._ "

Siva was about to opened his mouth, when I cut him off.

" _A prophecy I have absolutely no interest in Siva._ "

My eyes shot lightning, as I stared at him. He equaled my glare, and I saw a fire ignite in my friend. Probably one of the reasons we got along so well and often fought, was because we both were fire-signs by birth. Out of all the elementals, fire was the most convenient for us. Of course, we still dealt with the other elements of magic, fire was just happened to be more personable for the both of us.

" _This is bigger than just you! You have no right to be selfish in this matter._ "

" _You can't force me to listen to this bull_."

I jumped down from the counter and walked out of the kitchen. I wasn't about to sacrifice my life and livelihood for the people whom sacrificed my family. I was about to opened the kitchen door, when I suddenly felt hands grab me from behind. My eyes widened, the pain was breathtaking, and I felt my vision darken. It was as if floating, in a sea of shadowy dark. I was slipping into a state of unconsciousness, only vaguely hearing Siva's voice.

" _You're right, but I can show you._ "

Uhhhhh hopefully you guys think it's getting interesting, I sure am; and i'm the writer! lol. Make sure to give me any type of feedback, reviews and just share your opinion :) I'd love to know what you guys honestly think, this is my first fic after all; so be brutal, if need be! All in the name of perfecting the story of course


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6** : Ties That Bind **.**

I felt waves, waves of various emotions wash over me. Hands greedily grasping after my flesh, and mouths spilling over with muffled cries and screams. Why was I here, and where exactly was _'here'_? I felt trapped, not _cage-trapped_ – but more like _stuck-in-a-black-mass-kind-of-trapped_. And I couldn't get out. I'd lost track of time, all I knew was it wouldn't be long. See, I'd noticed a pattern, whenever everything started going in slow motion, it meant another vision was coming. I was starting to understand that I might've been here for a while. At least, long enough for me to anticipate the development of a pattern. A pattern always triggered by, one of the many hands grasping at me; actually getting a good grip. And as I had foreseen, it happened. My arm was grabbed, and I felt another wave hit my body. This one much stronger than the ones before. Not that I could remember how many times this had happened. The pain always echoed until the next one replaced it.

 _"Please, no, DON'T!"_

I was in a village, something about it seemed familiar. But I knew it probably wasn't. This wasn't my memory, this was someone else's. This belonged to whoever had grabbed my arm. I looked around, trying to figure out who was shouting. The fear and terror soaked voice, belonged to a female. And after a couple of seconds of looking around, I spotted the woman. She was kneeling in front of a much taller figure, with what seemed to be a much smaller figure in her arms. A child.

I quickly walked over, my heart sinking with every step I took. This wasn't going to end well. None of the previous memories had. They'd been gruesome, down right unbearable. And I was useless, utterly useless. I couldn't stop, change or prevent it. All I could do was watch. As yet another tragedy unfolded.

 _"I'm begging you, please. He's my baby boy, my little angel."_

The mother cried, cradling her son. He looked to be around eight at most. Confusion and fear written in his almond brown eyes. I tried to get a look at what was causing all the fear; but all I saw was a dark silhouette. The amount of power the mass was emanating was overwhelming. I could sense how everything in its vicinity was under its influence.

 _"He's been chosen."_

A voice beamed from within the darkness.

 _"Please, don't. Please, I'll give you mine instead. Just leave him be, please!"_

The winds around them were getting stronger, and the silhouette became bigger. I bit my lip as I looked at the desperate mother. She was offering herself up, in the hopes of saving her child. She was sobbing into her sons' shoulder, and he was just staring.. At me? I noticed the boy's eyes staring straight at me. Something that had to be impossible. After all this was a memory, right? None of the other memories had been like this. I hadn't been noticed, or even sensed. But this boy was looking straight at me. When our eyes met, I felt my heart break. He knew what was coming, we both did. My eyes got watery, and I felt my cheeks heat up. How could such a small child, know what was coming? The boy gave me a sheepish smile, and turned to face his mother. He gently patted her head, before softly placing both his hands on each side of her cheeks. Her wiped her tears, and hushed her sobbing cries. Forcing her to tune out the presence of the dark silhouette.

 _"It's okay mommy. She's here."_

My eyes widened.

The mother stopped her sobbing for a second, locking eyes with her son, before slowly nodding. The extreme pain she was exuding lessened, and she decided to hug her son one last time. He reciprocated her hug, holding onto her for dear life. After all, he was still a child.

" _No one can save you, boy. You're mine."_

The calmness between mother and son, was ripped apart. The boy was dragged right out of the mothers' grasp, his eyes darkening from their almond shade, to a pitch black. His tanned skin, became a ghostly pale, and when his eyes finally fell on the woman in front of him; no recognition could be seen in them. The mother desperately tried to grasp at her son, but he just pulled away from her. Disgust visible in his before childlike eyes. He turned towards the dark silhouette and reached his hand out towards it. And right before he got enveloped, his eyes fell on me. A devious smirk playing across his boyish features.

" _You can't stop this. Any of it. Just give in, Ariah."_

Before I could collect my mind, and make sense of the boys' words; he disappeared. Leaving both the village and the mother in shambles. The last thing I heard before the scenery changed was a scream. Tormented and defeated, the mother hit the ground. Her image was embedded into my subconscious, and even when everything once again became pitch black, I could still see her. Even hear her screams. The boys groggily distorted voice kept coming at me. _You can't stop this. Any of it. Just give in, Ariah._

There were no longer hands grabbing at me, and no screams other than the mothers'. All I was left with, was the repetition of the boys words, wrapping around me like a noose. I couldn't move, all I could do was let the darkness envelope me. Washing over me like a cold blanket, sucking every ounce of power and will out of me. I felt my left hand burn, not in the way it did when I conjured fire. No, something was burning _my_ skin, marking it. I'd never felt any amount of pain equal to this, and I was no stranger to pain.

" _MAKE IT STOP. MAKE. IT. STOP!"_

" _Ariah?! Ariah, open your eyes!"_

I felt someone grab my shoulders, and the presence of others around me. I couldn't recognize the voice, as my mind was still halfway in a trance. I felt the arms around me tighten their grip, and I reacted. I flew up from my position, and head-butted whatever was holding me. I then flipped my weight onto the person, so I was on top of them; hands gripping around their neck. When I finally opened my eyes, I saw my captive. Siva. He was gasping for air. I looked around the room and noticed it was filled. Bonnie was standing in the corner horrified, Matt equaled her expression, Stefan seemed to just hold his breath. I refocused on the person underneath me, anger rushing through me like a hurricane. I tightened my grip around his neck, awaiting bones to break. He tried to fight, but I was stronger than him. Much stronger.

" _You."_

Was all I could manage to say through gritted teeth. His face started turning purple, and his eyes started rolling back. It didn't make me lessen my grip, my rage had gone on autopilot.

" _Ariah, you're killing him."_

I heard Bonnie whisper, in complete shock. Her voice was stained with disbelief.

" _You don't know what he did to me, what he forced me to see!"_

My eyes glazed over, and my voice broke.

" _So many people died, so many children, so many innocent people. And the boy."_

My hands got weak, and Siva seized the moment to push me off. He fell on the floor, a couple of steps away from me, panting like his life depended on it. And I guess, it did. I kept my eyes fixed on my hands, they were shaking, violently.

" _The boy didn't die, but he. He wasn't there anymore. That thing took over him."_

I held my hands to my mouth, as if not speaking, would stop me from crying. A realization hit me, and my anger re-ignited. I got up, approaching Siva with slow yet steady steps. He stumbled backwards, not entirely recovered.

 _"Ariah, don't"_

He muttered, coughing.

It was strange, I felt nothing. I was hovering over my so-called best friend, about to threaten his life, and I felt nothing. No remorse, no empathy, nothing. All I could feel was the burning sensation in my hand. The sensation that had been so painful before, felt sensational now. I didn't want it to go away, I wanted my whole body to feel that way, always. And that's when it hit me. Something was off. Something was wrong with me. My anger towards Siva was reasonable, but the urge I felt to crush his throat and paralyze him from the neck down; was being amplified by something else.

 _"You need to get out of my house. Now."_

I tried to stand still, although it wasn't easy. I placed my hands alongside my arms, not wanting to do something stupid. How long I would be able to keep it up, I had no idea. But I would at least try, I owed myself that much. For a split second he seemed surprised by my words, before he got off the floor and tried to rectify himself. He opened his mouth to speak, and I couldn't contain myself.

" _Cruciatus_."

I whispered the Latin word for torture and mental pain, and directed my hand towards him. Instantly, Siva began convulsing, eyes rolling back, and in the most grotesque way possible; he bended backwards, head unnaturally close to the floor. I was going to make him feel, the pain he'd put me through. The excruciating pain of being on the brink of insanity. A couple of long drawn seconds past, and I broke the spell. He fell to the floor like a rag doll, and I instantly stood above him. I placed my hand on his jaw, pulling his face up close to mine.

 _"I won't repeat my words again."_

I let go of his face, and stood back up. Scanning the room, I noticed a person, I hadn't noticed the first time around. Nora. I glanced at Bonnie, with a questioning gaze, and her eyes calmed me. I could ask my questions later, right now I just needed Siva out of my house, and it didn't care if he couldn't walk.

 _"You"_

I crossed my arms, staring at Nora. It was clear, she had no idea what to do or say. I nodded in the direction of Siva, he could barely move.

 _"Get him out of here, and don't tell me where you take him."_

My eyes stayed with Siva a while before, I sat back down on the sofa. I held my head, feeling a migraine coming along.

 _"I can't be held responsible for what happens to him, if you do."_

I whispered the last part. Every fiber in my body was screaming, aching to finish what I had started. The battle inside me was ongoing. To my surprise, the tension in the room, broke when Nora went over to Siva, helped him get up, and walked out with him. My body eased up, and I felt mentally drained. Stefan seemed to cautiously sit on the table in front of Bonnie, and I; whilst Matt kept his distance at the door entrance. He was probably the smartest. I felt Bonnie's hand tug at my sleeve, forcing me to look at her.

 _"Please don't lecture me, Bonnie. I'm not up for it."_

I exclaimed tiredly.

 _"Do you have any idea how long you've been out?"_

Her voice was so careful, I looked at her and Stefan, with a confused expression.

 _"I'm not sure, I lost track of time.."_

 _"7 days, you were non-responsive."_

Stefan finally spoke and his words, made my eyes widen in disbelief. No wonder, I felt like I was going crazy.

 _"Your pulse was so weak, Ariah. We thought you were going to die."_

Bonnie's voice broke, and I could sense her fear. I gently rubbed circles on her back, giving her a vague smile.

 _"Something else happened, while you were out, Ariah."_

I looked at Stefan awaiting, him to finish his sentence.

 _"You took me down with you."_

I heard a weak voice at the top of the stairs. Damon. He managed to walk down, looking like hell. I imagined how I myself might look, but kept my focus on his words. My eyebrows furrowed, as his statement made no sense. How could I have taken anyone with me? I had been alone.

 _"You feel like elaborating that statement?"_

 _"You took me to that pitch black psycho dimension of horrors, grabby hands and shitty messed up visions."_

 _"That's not possible."_

I spoke in defense, although I knew he had to be telling the truth. How else did he know? And how had I _'taken'_ him? It made no sense. He sighed, clearly drained of the same amount of energy I was.

 _"Everything is possible, sweetheart. I mean, how else do you describe that little boy seeing you too? None of the people from the previous visions noticed you; but he did."_

My jaw dropped. Although he was tired, he was enjoying my unfiltered reactions.

 _"You-"_

 _"I saw everything you saw."_

Bonnie and Stefan exchanged glances, as Damon took a sip from a bottle he was carrying. I sighed not knowing what to say. I just stared at him in disbelief.

 _"And if you're wondering if I wanted to kill your friend as badly as you did. Yeah, I actually did."_

 _"That wasn't entirely me. I think my anger was amplified by the fact that I'd been in trapped in that place for a whole week. And my abilities kind of just ran wild."_

I trailed off, rubbing my wrist. My eyes had wandered off to the corner of the room, and I sensed everyone's gaze focus on me.

 _"Or maybe it was amplified by this."_

Damon yanked my left hand, turning my wrist towards them. I felt the mark glow and heat up, but something else had caught my attention.

 _"Maybe so, although I'm more curious as to why you have one?"_

I pointed towards the mark on his wrist, which he'd been oblivious to.

 _"What the hell!?"_

Matt finally walked over, eyeing both our marks. Bonnie seemed at a loss for words, and Stefan just kept a pondering facial expression. Damon seemed to be the one freaking out the most; which was well within his right. At least I knew, I was part of some prophecy, so I could only imagine this being attributed to that. But Damon couldn't be part of an ancient Samoan prophecy, so why did he possess the mark? Did the ancestors plead the fifth on this one? I mean it really didn't add up.

 _"You're unbelievable."_

Damon was sending daggers with his stare. I crossed my arms, and raised an eyebrow.

 _"Excuse me?"_

 _"First you get inside my head, waltz your way around my memories, giving me the worst migraine I've ever had in centuries. And now! Now you drag me into some subconscious hell, and what do I come out with? A freaking ancient looking rune tattoo!"_

 _"Don't flatter yourself, I would've never gotten inside your head that night, if you hadn't grabbed my wrist, and been so emotionally depleted! How about next time you just collect your thoughts, and keep them to yourself. Instead of being all over the place."_

Damon's eyes widened, he hadn't anticipated a comeback. At the very least, not that quick. His surprise quickly turned to anger, only edged on by the Stefan, who was trying to keep a straight face.

 _"Listen!"_

Bonnie jumped in, arms stretched out between us.

 _"We need to keep a calm head. There's a lot we need to figure out, so we need to prioritize. Right now all of this can wait, because we really need a game plan to deal with Julian."_

I shrugged and fell back onto the sofa.

 _"What's there to figure out? Isn't Lily keeping him company? I hardly think she'll let him binge drink on people instead of blood bags."_

I smiled, not noticing how the silence consumed the room. Damon and Stefan exchanged glances, and Damon seemed to pick up on what I wasn't. He got up, clearly a bit sore, and walked over to the window. I looked at him, before shifting my gaze to Bonnie, Matt and finally Stefan. Pain was visible in his eyes, and I froze. He reached out his hand to me, and I stiffly shook my head. I didn't want to see it, even if a part of me wanted to ease his burden of having to tell me. So, I sucked it up, and took his hand. Immediately flashes of the recent events occurred. Lily stabbing herself, believing it would stop Julian; when he in fact already had unbound them. I saw her say goodbye to everyone, except Julian and Mary Louise. When the vision had passed, I felt Stefan give my hand a gentle squeeze before releasing it. it was odd, I hadn't known Lily long, but I felt her absence, and Stefan's pain only magnified it.

 _"Bonnie, tell Nora to get back here, after she drops Siva off."_

She nodded and went to grab her phone, Stefan and Matt both looked at me curiously, and I noticed Damon side-eyeing me too. Seeing Nora genuinely distraught in Stefan's vision, made me warm up to the idea that she wasn't just the raging bitch I'd seen her as. She loved Lily like only a daughter could, and for that I felt I was obliged to give her a chance. For Lily's sake.

 _"She's on her way."_

Bonnie said waving her phone. That's when something hit me, someone was missing. From the vision and the whole situation. I looked around at the people gathered in my living room, and felt a sting of guilt, for not realizing it earlier.

 _"Where's Enzo?"_

HEY GUYS! So as you've noticed, i decided to alter reality a little, since I really desliked Damon's last words to Lily, I decided he wouldn't be there to say his rude farwells lol. But to be honest! It all kind of fell into place, since I'd been planning the whole _Ariah-Damon-bound-by-a-mystical-mark-thingy_ ; although I'm not sure if it'll become a romantic attachment; i'm exploring their banter for now :) ANYWAYS! Feedback is greatly appriciated, so don't feel shy.


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